Yorkshire Electricity is turning to TV to lock in its customers
during the run-up to next year’s deregulation of energy supplies.
The company is putting an estimated pounds 1 million behind the
campaign, which is being backed by press and poster work, direct mail
and sponsorship of weather reports on Yorkshire TV.
The effort is being produced and co-ordinated by the Poulter agency in
Leeds and is aimed at differentiating the Yorkshire Electricity brand,
while launching its gas business which will compete against British
Gas.
The initiative is being spearheaded by six spots featuring Small Bill -
played by the 4 feet 11 inches tall actor William Crane - and his wife
Angela. The couple claim to be paying the smallest electricity bills in
the UK and look forward to savings of up to pounds 150 on annual British
Gas bills. A whimsical voiceover is supplied by the comedian, John
Shuttleworth.
Clive Goldstein, the agency’s account director on the business, said:
’Small Bill is the perfect encapsulation of Yorkshire Electricity’s
comparative value offer both on electricity and to launch the new gas
business.’
The films were written by Pete Camponi, the Poulter creative director,
art directed by Rick Ward and directed by Ronnie West at Godman.