Your behavior appears to be a little unusual. Please verify that you are not a bot.


Own the environmental campaign

August 26, 2021 By    

The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) finally turned the corner on the development of an environmental campaign to combat the electrification movement that is spreading across America through special interest groups and factions of our political system.

PERC had been making significant advancements in providing new gallons, leadership and growth in some market segments but didn’t feel its mission included a strategy to deal with dramatic changes in an energy conversation seeking to put the propane industry out of business.

Propane marketers and propane association executives in states who were under early attack by environmental hard-liners worked with council members to rethink the council’s approach to propane and the environment. An environmental task force was formed, and PERC replaced its advertising agency and began the work of developing a campaign to imbed propane in the energy conversation in a positive way.

The result is the just-released campaign that includes the rebranding of propane as “Energy for Everyone.” Find out the details and the tools available at propane.com/energyforeveryone.

On the ground

Here is what the environmental campaign won’t do for your propane business without your involvement:

Localizing the messaging: While PERC has done a great job of creating an environmental messaging platform, it understandably remains a one-size-fits-all nationwide approach, even with some efforts by PERC to recognize regional differences.

PERC is offering propane associations a generous matching funds program to kick off the environmental marketing campaign that some states will use to their advantage. The available funding is based on state PERC assessment levels, so the need for such a program may not always sync with funds available for each state.

The program uses the generic campaign messaging platform, adjusted for each of the four U.S. regions, and may not take into consideration the state-by-state differences that marketing against electrification may need in your marketing area.

While PERC needs to be commended for the generous matching funds program to introduce the branding campaign, a follow-up matching funds program to allow state associations the opportunity and flexibility to truly localize the messaging campaign in a more aggressive way would be most helpful. Follow the introduction of the campaign closely and work with your state propane association to support appropriately aggressive, localized environmental messaging in the future.

Employee education: While the tools are available from PERC, your employees will be left out of the campaign unless you educate them on all of the environmental advantages that propane offers to consumers so they can carry those messages to their friends and family members and, most importantly, to your customers. Every employee meeting you conduct should have a topic related to “Energy for Everyone.”

Customer education: Take advantage of the PERC rebranding of propane in your marketing and advertising efforts. Refresh your website, social media platform, local advertising and customer-direct communications, such as statement stuffers and newsletters. A note of caution: Do not bury your company brand with the new environmental branding campaign. The environmental campaign should complement your brand, not overwhelm it. Seek professional help to make all of this happen the right way if you do not have that level of marketing expertise on staff.

The good news is that the PERC rebranding of propane is excellent air cover for propane to enter the energy conversation in a positive way. The bad news is that it is only air cover if you do nothing to support it from the ground.


Tom Jaenicke is vice president of propane marketing services for Warm Thoughts Communications. He can be reached at tjaenicke@warmthoughts.com or 810-252-7855.

Comments are currently closed.