Real Solutions for Real People

>> OVERVIEW

Created: revised brand, brand messaging, SEO website, support collateral, social media marketing, multimedia, print collateral

The Houston Solar Tour & Social is part of the annual ASES National Solar Tour sponsored by the American Solar Energy Society. The national tour involves various communities across the nation that simultaneously hold their own local tours during the first Saturday in October, creating the world’s largest grassroots solar event.

The local event is designed to educate the community about solar installations including photovoltaic, thermal, passive solar building design and overall energy efficiency. It gives people the opportunity to see solar equipment up close and learn about the benefits of solar systems to make sustainable choices that help lower costs, support energy independence, protect against power outages and reduce carbon emissions. The event kicks off in the morning with the Solar Social, a fun and engaging way for the entire family to meet representatives of companies and organizations involved in Houston’s renewable energy community to learn about and interact with the latest in solar and other sustainable activities. Afterwards, the self-guided tour begins, which offers visitors the opportunity to learn more about solar energy systems, energy-efficiency and sustainable building technologies by visiting residences and businesses in the Houston area that use these technologies in real-world applications.

forGreen was engaged to provide marketing expertise and a creative spark for bolstering the Solar Tour brand, raising public awareness and promoting consumer participation through various channels. All of those goals had to be met on a small budget augmented by in-kind support from numerous designers, writers, webmasters and other professionals.

>> SOLUTION

The firm designed and developed a full array of materials to create a more tangible brand with improved brand messaging to better define what the Solar Tour & Social is, to expand general awareness of the event in the Houston area and to increase public participation. forGreen also helped stimulate new sponsorship, which exceeded expectations by 20%. In the process, the firm recruited a team of top-notch creative professionals to donate their talent and skills for producing support collateral and other marketing instruments to reach a larger audience more dynamically through a range of media. Additionally, forGreen helped develop an all-new website with search engine optimization for year-round visibility and increased awareness as well as a following for the Houston Solar Tour & Social on Twitter and Facebook. Working closely with a local PR firm, forGreen was able to triple radio time over previous years. As a result, the event was more successful than ever before with an increase in attendance of 150%.