DUBLIN, IRELAND – Bord Gáis Energy is increasing its drive to recruit consumers onto its smart plans with the launch of its biggest recruitment drive yet. Enter Need More Zenergy? Think Smart, a bold campaign designed to educate and inspire Irish consumers to take control of their energy use by switching to a Smart plan.
With over one million homes already equipped with Smart meters, the campaign sets ambitious targets to get more households actively utilizing them for smarter, more efficient energy consumption. At the heart of the fully integrated campaign is a hilarious TVC directed by Tom Merilion (Speers Films), featuring an out-of-work relationship counsellor who, thanks to Bord Gáis Energy’s Smart plans, has fewer clients because couples are now fighting less over energy bills and saving more instead.
The campaign is the first major work from creative powerhouse The Brill Building for the Bord Gáis Energy brand, building on their previous collaboration for the 2024 Shine A Light with Focus Ireland initiative. Drawing insights from consumer research, The Brill Building found that the average household spends a whopping 19 hours and 20 minutes a year debating household expenses. Zenergy became the perfect encapsulation of what Bord Gáis Energy Smart plans can offer with less stress and more control.
Ireland has a number of energy-related targets for 2030 and beyond, relating to energy sources, emissions, end use and efficiency. The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 established a legally binding framework for Ireland to transition to a climate neutral economy by 2025. Bord Gáis Energy with over 730,000 residential and business customers across Ireland hopes to contribute significantly to these objectives.
Meadhbh Quinn, Head of Marketing, Bord Gáis Energy confirmed the campaign ambition. “This campaign marks an exciting new direction for the Bord Gáis Energy brand. To achieve Ireland’s climate goals, we all need to be smarter with our energy use and we’re leading the way in reimagining how energy is used. Our carefully curated range of Smart plans empower consumers with choice and control, reinforcing our commitment to changing energy behaviour and usage. We’ve seen first-hand how customers who embrace Smart technology quickly become advocates for its impact on daily life. By helping Ireland move past debates over laundry times and EV charging—with a sense of ease and humour—we hope to spark a movement. We call that feeling of less stress and more control Zenergy.”
Roisin Keown, CEO and ECD, The Brill Building, said: “Our initial research identified that most households with Smart meters aren’t on a Smart plan because they haven’t understood or been convinced of the benefit. So when the team uncovered the learning that it’s estimated we each spend hours each year – eh ‘discussing’ –household expenses (and we’ve all been that soldier) then we knew we could talk in a whole new way about what the benefit of a Smart meter could be. We believe in creating real world impact at The Brill Building, so that message had to be delivered with a smile, so we’re excited to help the brilliant team at Bord Gáis Energy bring a little more zenergy to Irish homes.”
Shot by director Tom Merilion with Speers Films and photographer Liam Murphy, the through-the-line campaign encompasses TV and VOD, OOH, radio display, social and PR with strategy, creative and production from The Brill Building, media and influencers from Group M and PR from The Hive.
Leading The Brill Building team on the account are CEO and ECD Roisin Keown, Insights Lead Kev Chesters, Creative Lead Peter Snodden Creatives Bex McNally and John McMahon, Producer Laurie Easterby and Project Lead Eleanor McCarthy.
CREDITS
Client: Bord Gáis Energy
Marketing Director: Meadbh Quinn
Marketing Manager: Ailish Boyle
Marcomms Specialist: Fiona Gill
Digital Marketing Manager: Tracy Lynch
Marketing Exec: Courtney Mullaly
Agency: The Brill Building
ECD: Roisin Keown
Insights Lead: Kev Chesters
Creative Lead: Peter Snodden
Project Lead: Eleanor McCarthy
Producer: Laurie Easterby
Production Assistant: Laura Ileogben
Creatives: Bex McNally, John McMahon, Keith Doyle, Irene Fogarty
Design: Gayle Briody
Motion-Graphics: Brill Studio
Motion Lead: Logan Champ
Production: Speers Films
Producer: Jonny Speers
Director: Tom Merilion
DOP: Simon Walsh
Editor: Rob Hegarty
Post-Production: First Element
Post Producer: Chriona O’Sullivan
Colorist: Natalia Witkowska
Sound: Locky Butler Sound
Sound Engineer: Locky Bulter
Original Music: Denis Kilty
PR: Lee Sharrock
