Genesis Energy Case Study

Core Objective

The primary objective of the Genesis EV campaign was to support the awareness and consideration of the Genesis EV plan to help significantly boost sales and also address the challenges of lower awareness and engagement with EV electricity propositions in New Zealand. The campaign aimed to leverage insights into consumer behavior—specifically, that most EV owners charge their vehicles at home overnight and that rising fuel prices drive increased interest in EVs—to create targeted, dynamic messaging. By implementing innovative strategies such as real-time, fuel-price-triggered digital out of home (DOOH) advertising and promoting the 'EV Night Rates' offer, the campaign sought to enhance brand visibility and drive consideration among potential EV buyers, ultimately leading to higher sales and greater market penetration.

Solutions

The Hivestack DSP provided the flexibility and real-time capabilities required to meet Genesis Energy’s objectives. The solution was implemented through two distinct campaigns:

Fuel Price Activation Campaign

The Fuel Price Activation Campaign aimed to promote a 50% discount on EV charging rates by dynamically linking ad activation to real-time fuel price changes. This was achieved by integrating an API with a fuel price monitoring website (gassy.co.nz), which automatically triggered the campaign whenever fuel prices reached a specified threshold. The ads, featuring the campaign tagline “After 9pm EV home charging rates are 50% down,” were displayed on selected digital billboards and bus shelters across key markets in New Zealand, including Auckland, Canterbury, Wellington, Waikato, Manawatu-Wanganui, and the Bay of Plenty. This approach ensured that the message reached a broad yet targeted audience during moments when fuel prices were top of mind.

Time Targeting Campaign

The objective of this campaign was to enhance awareness and adoption of the discounted EV charging rates by focusing on the most relevant time period. Utilizing dayparting technology, the campaign strategically displayed ads during peak hours between 3 pm and 9 pm, when consumers were most likely to consider their evening energy needs. The creative featured an HTML element with a dynamic countdown highlighting the 50% discount on EV rates starting at 9pm, which effectively drove engagement and created a sense of urgency. Targeting was concentrated in the same key regions, with a focus on these specific times of day to maximize impact.

Results 

During the 80-day flight time, the campaigns delivered more than 1.4 million impressions across 210 unique screens.

• Auckland delivered the highest number of impressions (37%), followed by Wellington and Canterbury, proving that the message reached the intended audience effectively.

• Real-Time Optimization via the Hivestack platform enabled immediate adjustments to the campaign, ensuring full budget utilization while maximizing reach and engagement.

By harnessing Hivestack’s programmatic DOOH technology, Genesis Energy precisely targeted their audience, optimizing ad spend and driving engagement across New Zealand's diverse markets.

Testimonial:

“Hivestack was instrumental to the success of Genesis’ PDOOH EV campaign! The platform allowed us to integrate with multiple 3rd party platforms, enabling PHD to activate a market first campaign through use of technology and data smarts. We applied time, context and audience behaviour signals as part of our media strategy to help cut through with our messaging, reaching consumers when the message was most relevant.” - Kevin Van Wyk, Associate Business Director, PHD Media