This month, we hear from the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances (AMDEA) on an award-winning multi-faceted campaign aimed at encouraging consumers to use their domestic appliances better, underlining the industry’s contribution to saving energy and improving regulations in the post-Brexit world.
Members of AMDEA produce and distribute consumer and commercial appliances across laundry, drying, refrigeration, floor care, heating and cooling and a broad range of small appliances. They represent over 80% of the total UK domestic appliance market, and 95% of large white goods.
Home appliances and the drive for net zero homes
AMDEA members’ commitment to sustainability has been a key innovation driver in recent years. This focus has delivered huge reductions in home appliances’ environmental impacts: in design, manufacture, use, repair, recycling and recovery.
New technology in fridges, freezers and washing machines has brought lower energy and water consumption alongside enhanced performance. So, with 170 million essential large appliances in the UK’s 28 million homes, the tech in each machine can collectively make a major contribution to our environmental goals. But, as manufacturers pursue carbon neutrality from production through to recovery at end of life, the vast majority - at least 80% - of an appliance’s emissions occur during the usage phase.
And, although appliances account for nearly one third of most home energy bills, consumers were largely resistant to the small changes in behaviour needed to use the installed tech that can help their pockets and the planet.
Never a better time to Know Watt's What
A dual opportunity offered itself. First the fuel and cost of living crises presented a unique opening to engage households searching for ways to cut costs, to choose, use, care and repair their appliances to save money and reduce their carbon footprint.
Meanwhile in the new post-Brexit regulatory environment, broadening and strengthening the industry’s environmental reputation among UK policymakers and consumer affairs stakeholders was also a critical communications goal. Fortunately, supporting energy saving was a top Government priority.
With dubious home savings mis-information abounding, AMDEA set about – on a shoestring budget - underlining its sustainability commitment with a campaign that better informed and helped shift consumer behaviour. Alongside Know Watt’s What, AMDEA strove for its voice to be more clearly heard on regulatory and policy matters in Westminster and Whitehall.
Know-how?
Foundation-building began with members: establishing solid facts from their experts. These bagged and knowing cash would be our carrot, we developed ways to help householders at important interaction points with their appliances.
A campaign microsite – stoked by a suite of social media assets - was created offering expert-inspired cash savings for householders and other usage hacks to extend lifespan. Bespoke data from an independent source underpinned a savings calculator to encourage people buying to consider lifetime running costs. To catch the consumer at the point of purchase, training videos and access to the calculator were syndicated to support independent retailers nationwide. A poll on attitudes to eco-settings and energy usage provided national media meat, prompting widespread coverage and around 20 radio interviews. We approached academic institutions – and secured the University of Exeter, the UK’s leader in circular economy - to set up an in-home study of the keys to behaviour change, with a first parliamentary reception planned to launch their report.
Media results were our best ever and the Parliamentary reception drew a packed room, which included the Chancellor. But in our sights, and assisted by the momentum already gathered, we had more topics and targets.
Know-how and why?
Next came microsite content honed to stress appliance care, repair and recycling. We embraced the academic findings – people changed their behaviours once they understood why, so message repetition and multiple-source reiteration mattered – to seek more resonance among stakeholders. We also humanised the in-home trial by filming one of the participants talking about what he learned. Embracing opportunities to amplify our messages came in the form of discussing with DESNZ their own campaign messaging, inputting to Defra on minimising waste, with Citizens Advice about their appliance efficiency work, with an energy supplier on dishwasher efficiency and others. In addition, retailers developed their own sustainability website content and incorporated our savings calculator.
Mindful of a general election in the offing, we then published a manifesto which set out our store for politicians and regulators from all quarters. The launch was at a second Parliamentary reception, again to a brimming room.
Now two years in, we have plenty more plans for developing the campaign: further content, new channels, member case studies and more. We’re definitely not resting on our award-winning laurels!
