Plug in BC

Emotive #EvolvetoElectric

Client service | Content development | Website

Background:

In 2013, Edelman partnered with Plug in BC and the Ministry of Energy and Mines to develop and launch the Emotive campaign—an innovative digital marketing strategy aimed at increasing awareness and demand for electric vehicles (EVs) across British Columbia.

Strategy and Execution:

While consumers understood that EVs could save them money on gas, declining fuel prices in the summer of 2014 meant we needed to highlight additional benefits of EV ownership.

To capture attention in a fresh and engaging way, we took inspiration from classic nature and science documentaries. The creative concept introduced Homo Gasolinus—a modern caveman whose long-standing obsession with gasoline-powered vehicles was evolving as he discovered the next chapter in transportation: electric vehicles.

Working closely with our creative director, I helped develop a five-part video series showcasing the advantages of EV ownership. With a modest budget, we maximized production efficiency by filming all five videos in a single day. To further extend the campaign’s impact, I proposed and coordinated the creation of 80+ reaction GIFs between set changes. These bite-sized assets allowed the client to maintain engagement across social media while gradually rolling out the video series.

The campaign targeted potential EV buyers through social media advertising, driving them to additional content or the campaign hub, where they could explore government rebates and BC’s growing charging infrastructure.

Results:

The campaign saw over 650k video views and almost 1 million unique landing page visits.