Turning the heat up on energy theft

Creation of The Theft Investigation Group (TIG)

In 2016, the industry regulator, Ofgem, mandated that energy companies do more to recoup significant losses through energy theft. A consortium of 96 energy companies was created – the Theft Investigation Group (TIG), managed by Electralink. At the heart of the UK energy industry, ElectraLink provides network communications and code governance services crucial to the gas and electricity markets. The TIG panel includes both revenue protection and marketing representatives from the energy companies involved in the project.

Objectives

The website stayenergysafe is an ongoing service that we provide for Electralink and TIG. The objective of the service is to make people aware that energy theft is a prosecutable crime, with potentially devastating consequences for individuals, families, communities and businesses.

Action

We set up a reporting line for members of the public, as well as a responsive website with an online reporting form. Both enable us to receive information 100% anonymously.

We are now in the third year of the service. In conjunction with Electralink, we manage the PR/earned media, website, social media platforms, content creation, paid media and SEO, and report on the performance of the service to TIG partners on a monthly basis.

Deliverables

• Dedicated integrity line for people to provide information anonymously
• Fully responsive campaign website www.stayenergysafe.co.uk
• New brand identity and style guide
• Bespoke campaign assets and tailored messaging including video
• Secure portal for partners to download assets
• Google Search and YouTube advertising (PPC) campaigns
• Organic and paid native/contextual and social media messaging (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Google)
• Search Engine Optimisation
• Monthly dashboards and reporting
• Press releases to the relevant target audiences

Outcomes

• Microsite visits running at 7,800 pcm (April 2018)
• Conversion from site visit to report 2.1% (April 2018)
• Typical monthly reports 250-300 (April 2018)
• 97% of reports deemed actionable by the energy industry (March 2017)
• Total reports to date 4,000+ (April 2018)
• Monthly advertising impressions: 800,000+

What they had to say: 

“Energy theft costs the UK hundreds of millions of pounds each year and puts people’s lives at risk. This is why we’re working with Crimestoppers and the energy industry to clamp down on this crime. The hotline is an important tool to help end this offense. We are urging the public to use it, and pull the plug on energy theft once and for all.”

Dermot Nolan, Chief Executive, Ofgem

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