Inspiring action on home energy across West Yorkshire.
Supporting West Yorkshire Combined Authority to launch an affordable sustainable energy loan, inspire behaviour change, and break down financial barriers, helping more people live in warmer, greener homes.
The brief (in brief).
The Combined Authority has a bold goal: become a net zero carbon region by 2038. With 30% of local emissions coming from domestic heating, retrofitting homes at scale is non-negotiable. But cost remains a major blocker. To shift the dial, the CA needed to engage homeowners and landlords with a low-interest loan offer, one that felt accessible, trustworthy, and worth acting on. The challenge was to launch the finance product by June 2024, and inspire uptake from key audiences – owner-occupiers, landlords, and the “able to pay” market, without overwhelming or alienating them.
Our approach.
We started with in-depth research to ground everything in real insight, not assumptions. This included a review of previous studies (from Energy Saving Trust, Otley Energy, and others), interviews with five local councils, a 250-person survey, and a three-day online community with 20 homeowners. This work helped us profile the audience, understand their motivations, and map the barriers they face, from affordability and trust, to lack of awareness. These insights shaped a bold creative direction built on simplicity, clarity and energy. We tested multiple concepts, and the final campaign fused confident messaging with a colourful, distinctive design system. From posters to bus ads, to social content, everything was tailored to feel local, positive and action-driven – meeting people where they are, not where we want them to be.
The important stuff.
The campaign made home energy improvements clearer and more achievable, helping people take action while informing future behaviour change strategies.
delivered impressions across radio, buses and rail stations
unique customer enquires, with more than half with applications
active loans booked or in progress
people contributed insights through research activities
Our campaign was grounded in comprehensive, multi-layered research to ensure every message resonated with the target audiences. We combined insights from a 250-strong homeowner survey, a focused 3-day online community, and in-depth interviews with local authorities. This approach gave us a nuanced understanding of financial barriers, motivations, and awareness levels. These insights allowed us to tailor messaging that truly spoke to owner-occupiers, small landlords, and the “able to pay” market, ensuring the campaign addressed real concerns and inspired real action.
A successful campaign starts with strong partnerships, and this project was no exception. From the outset, we worked closely with the Energy Saving Trust and key local authorities across West Yorkshire, including Wakefield, Bradford, Leeds, Calderdale, and Kirklees. Their expertise and on-the-ground knowledge were invaluable in shaping a campaign that truly reflects the region’s unique challenges and opportunities.
“This project was crucial for supporting the Mayor’s key pledges. We’re delighted with the Home Energy West Yorkshire identity and loan campaign. Their comprehensive insight work and collaboration with stakeholders ensured a solid foundation. The creative development was thorough and exciting, perfectly capturing the opportunity for West Yorkshire. Their work sets a strong foundation for achieving our net zero goal by 2038, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the results.”
Kathryn Nykiel
Lead Communications & Marketing Officer, West Yorkshire Combined Authority