Staff Report Item 19
Staff Report Item 19
TO: East Bay Community Energy Board of Directors
FROM: Annie Henderson, Vice President of Marketing & Account Services; Theresa McDermit, Head of Brand
SUBJECT: New Brand Name Proposal
DATE: June 21, 2023
__________________________________________________________________ Recommendation
Approve a Resolution authorizing the use of Ava Community Energy as the market-facing brand name for our agency and directing staff to use the new name in all marketing materials starting October 2023 or as determined by direction of the CEO.
Background and Discussion
In recent years, EBCE has dramatically increased its focus on actively promoting and enabling electrification, decarbonization, and efficiency initiatives while maintaining its ongoing commitment to the delivery of clean power at low prices. Since early 2022, staff have led an effort to define and articulate an updated brand strategy in support of this broadening mandate.
In December of 2022, an RFP was issued for a partner to support the evolution of our brand identity. And in February of this year, the Board approved the request to move forward with a preferred supplier. Since that time, we have worked swiftly to build out our evolved brand identity, beginning with the recommended brand name.
To arrive at this naming recommendation, we followed this detailed process:
Strategic Alignment and Naming Criteria: We established a framework for evaluating potential names to guide subsequent steps in the process. These guardrails helped ensure that an eventual name fulfill our objectives for a name change which broadly fall into two categories:
Staff Report Item 19
1) Ease of use, memorability; ability to support our expanded engagement efforts 2) Inclusivity; welcoming to all constituents including those outside of the “East Bay.”
Ideation: In the initial phase, over 150 names were generated and reviewed.
Promising candidates were screened for availability at a high level.
Feedback: In an iterative process, the most promising candidate names were shared with agency leadership, select staff, and members of the ad hoc committees of the Board of Directors and Community Advisory Committee. Several rounds of feedback and review yielded a small set of finalist names.
Clearance and Protection: We’ve taken care to ensure the appropriateness and availability of our recommended name with the following actions:
• A full trademark search was conducted by our counsel, DWT. They found no relevant competing claims on the name
• Native speakers of the most frequently spoken languages in our territory are reviewing the name to ensure there are no unintended linguistic or cultural associations
• Relevant URLs and social media handles were secured
• A placeholder trademark filing was prepared to signal our intent to use and protect the recommended name upon approval.
At this time, staff is proposing that Ava Community Energy be adopted as a “DBA” and that the agency use the new name in marketing materials. Resolutions, contracts, and legal filings would still be done under the agency’s legal name, East Bay Community Energy Authority. If the Board desires to legally change the name of the agency for all purposes, it may authorize staff to conduct further research and take necessary actions to accomplish this goal. It is anticipated that the Joint Powers Agreement would have to be amended to achieve this and individual approval of all of the member agencies may be required.
Fiscal Impact
Fiscal impact is driven by the need to communicate any changes to our brand identity and the creation / recreation of branded materials. Actual costs will be determined once the full extent and timing of changes are known. The funding for implementation and outreach on a new brand identity is included in the amount presented to the board for approval as part of the FY23/24 budget.
Committee Recommendation
Staff Report Item 19
Ad hoc committees of the Board of Directors and CAC have stated their support for adoption of the recommended name for marketing purposes. The Executive Committee discussed this proposal on June 7, 2023. Feedback was generally supportive. Comments from board members and members of the public centered on focusing the name and messaging on our role as a public agency and regions served, while avoiding personification. The name proposal was also presented for feedback to the Marketing, Regulatory, and Legislative Committee on June 16th. The MRL Committee provided positive feedback and there were no comments from members of the public.
Attachments
A. Resolution
B. New Name Proposal ppt.
Attachment Staff Report Item 19A
RESOLUTION NO. R-2023-XX
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF THE EAST BAY COMMUNITY ENERGY AUTHORITY
TO APPROVE THE BRAND NAME OF AVA COMMUNITY ENERGY
WHEREAS The East Bay Community Energy Authority (“EBCE”) was formed as a community choice aggregation agency (“CCA”) on December 1, 2016, Under the Joint Exercise of Power Act, California Government Code sections 6500 et seq., among the County of Alameda, and the Cities of Albany, Berkeley, Dublin, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Piedmont, Oakland, San Leandro, and Union City to study, promote, develop, conduct, operate, and manage energy-related climate change programs in all of the member jurisdictions. The cities of Newark and Pleasanton, located in Alameda County, along with the City of Tracy, located in San Joaquin County, were added as members of EBCE and parties to the JPA in March of 2020. The city of Stockton in San Joaquin County was added as a member of EBCE and party to the JPA in September of 2022.
WHEREAS the agency will soon serve a larger portion of San Joaquin County and residents of that region do not broadly identify as being from the “East Bay”, WHEREAS the agency is expanding its engagement with customers and would like to position itself as an influencer of individual consumer decisions that advance decarbonization efforts, and
WHEREAS a short, easy to say, memorable, and warm name will increase inclusivity and customer engagement.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE EAST BAY COMMUNITY ENERGY AUTHORITY DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The Board of Directors approves the use of “Ava Community Energy” as the market facing brand name for the agency.
Section 2. Staff is hereby directed to use Ava Community Energy for all marketing materials related to the agency starting October 2023 or as determined by direction of the CEO.
ADOPTED AND APPROVED this 21st day of June, 2023.
Elisa Márquez, Chair
Attachment Staff Report Item 19A
ATTEST:
Adrian Bankhead, Clerk of the Board
New Brand Name
Proposal
Board of Directors
JUNE 21, 2023
Attachment Staff Report Item 19B
Overview
2 ● Background & Rationale
● Insights
● Stakeholder Engagement & Timelines
● Process & Considerations
● New Brand Name Proposal
Attachment Staff Report Item 19B
Background &
Rationale
3 Attachment Staff Report Item 19B
EBCE Brand Evolution
2020
Updates to Look & Feel
Website update to give a more modern
look and feel to the brand. Logo and
key messaging remain unchanged.
First customer program offering.
2022
Program Marketing with Calls to Action
Multiple programs launched or in
planning; specific calls to action,
expanding on an educational focus
2016
Original Brand and Logo Development
County hired consultants to develop initial
website, collateral, and logos.
2018
Initial Enrollment and Launch of Service
Enrollment marketing and outreach
campaign including customer notifications
and key messaging.
4 Begin service to Stockton
2025
Attachment Staff Report Item 19B
5 In the Beginning…
When we launched EBCE, our primary
objective was to educate:
• What is a CCA?
• How does your bill work?
• EBCE is not a scam…
Attachment Staff Report Item 19B
Our brand expression is:
● Very literal; we have a highly
descriptive name and logo
● Self-referential; our messaging
has traditionally focused on what
we do (as opposed to what that
means for the consumer)
● Familiar; our “look” is similar to
many other CCAs or IOUs
A Brand Expression to Support Education and Trust
Attachment Staff Report Item 19B
$19 million annual
customer savings vs.
what would have been
paid for PG&E service
$21 million spent on
local programs like
battery energy
storage, induction
cooking, and electric
heat pump water
heaters 1,015 megawatts of
new wind, solar, and
battery storage,
including projects in
Alameda County
95% average
retention rate across
our service area
Steady expansion
of our service area;
Pleasanton, Newark +
Tracy 2022;
Stockton 2024
On track to implement
the strategy for
100% clean by 2030
2022 National Notable Achievement
Award for Land Revitalization Team
Excellence
We’ve Been Successful
Attachment Staff Report Item 19B
We Continue to Mature and Evolve to Better Serve our Communities ● We are moving from simply
filling demand to creating it
● Growing capacity and expertise
to stand up consumer- and
commercial-facing programs
that expose customers to
electric alternatives and speed
their adoption, accelerating
decarbonization
Attachment Staff Report Item 19B
Insights
9 Attachment Staff Report Item 19B
Our Name is a Barrier to Success in San Joaquin County* *n=400; 57.5% of sample from Stockton
Q12. Which one of these names is your least favorite?
East Bay Community Energy
EBCE
Placeholder Name
Placeholder Name
Placeholder Name
Placeholder Name
Placeholder Name
Q13: Why?
EBCE
• Acronyms are off-putting;
hard to remember
East Bay Community Energy
• San Joaquin County not part
of East Bay; East Bay too
expensive / doesn’t represent
my values
Attachment Staff Report Item 19B
Unaided Awareness
Question: PG&E manages the electricity system in your area. You also have an option for generation service (power plants). Is that…
11 May 2022
22.25%
46.5%
October 2022
46.5%
22%
Attachment Staff Report Item 19B
Stakeholder
Engagement &
Timelines
12 Attachment Staff Report Item 19B
• 4/1/22 - Presented brand refresh concept to
MRL Subcommittee
• 10/19/22 - BOD meeting CEO Report notes
hiring of Head of Brand
• 12/14/22 - BOD meeting CEO Report provides
update on brand efforts
• 12/15/22 - RFP posted for partner to support
Brand Identity Evolution
• 2/15/23 - BOD meeting consent agenda for
approval of contract for Brand & Visual
Identity Services
Meetings and Public
Information - 2022 to early
2023
Attachment Staff Report Item 19B
• February
○ Ad Hoc Committees of the Board and CAC
established; initial meetings
• March
○ Survey of stakeholders, customers, and staff
○ Presentation to MuniPals
• April
○ Ad Hoc Committee meetings
○ Presentation to Exec Comm, CAC, and
Board
• May
○ Ad Hoc Committee meetings
○ Update in CEO Report to Board
○ Presentation on brand at Marketing &
Account Services Special Board Retreat
○ Special meeting of the MuniPals
Winter/Spring 2023
Attachment Staff Report Item 19B
• June 7
○ Executive Committee
• June 16
• Marketing, Regulatory, & Legislative Committee
• June 20
○ Community Advisory Committee
• June 21
○ Board of Directors Meeting
June 2023
Info and discussion
Discussion and vote
Attachment Staff Report Item 19B
16 Reference: Ad Hoc Committees
Name EBCE Role Jurisdiction Role
Elisa Márquez Current Chair Supervisor, Alameda County
Dan Kalb Former Chair Councilmember, Oakland
Jaime Patiño Former Chair of MRL Subcommittee Councilmember, Union City Matt Bedolla Director Councilmember, Tracy
Dan Wright Director Councilmember, Stockton
Anne-Olivia Eldred Chair of CAC Oakland resident
Ed Hernandez Vice Chair of CAC San Leandro resident
Jim Lutz At-Large Member of CAC Oakland resident
Attachment Staff Report Item 19B
17 Committee Feedback
Ad Hoc Committees Support from both Board and CAC members for new name Executive Committee Feedback was generally supportive. Comments from board members and members of the public centered on focusing the name and messaging on role as a public agency and regions served, while avoiding personification.
Marketing, Regulatory, &
Legislative Committee
Feedback was positive. No public comments were given.
Attachment Staff Report Item 19B
Ahead: Implementing our Evolved Name & Brand (tentative schedule) Plan, Prepare, Build
● Catalog / update all
branded assets
● Build launch plan x
audience
● Create toolkits x
audience (e.g. logo,
guidelines, FAQ,
messaging, social
posts, newsletter
content)
Now - Aug
Stakeholder Enablement
September
Soft Launch
● Notice customers
● Reskin website
● Apply brand to
external touchpoints
● Social media
campaign
● Outreach at events
Oct - Dec
Robust Comms
● Integrated campaign to
inform and build
excitement among our
constituents (e.g.
radio, buses, BART,
OOH)
● Launch evolved
website
● Measure awareness
Jan - Mar
Transition to
Steady State*
● Begin messaging shift
from introduction to
steady state
● Continue elevated level
of outreach with
programs focus
● Integrate tracking data
and stakeholder input
to drive additional
activities
Apr - Jun
● Communications and
training for internal
and external
stakeholders (e.g. all
employees, MuniPals,
sponsored entities,
program partners)
* Timing influenced by results of tracking survey
Attachment Staff Report Item 19B
Process &
Considerations
19 Attachment Staff Report Item 19B
Attachment Staff Report Item 19B
Attachment Staff Report Item 19B
Naming Criteria 1. Signals energy, community, or progress
2. Evokes momentum, positivity, and togetherness
3. Flexible for business and service area expansion
4. Balances uniqueness with reliability
5. Based on easy-to-understand words
6. Sounds and looks interesting; ideally also wearable
7. Stands out from clean tech/smart home innovators
8. Works in connection with “Community Energy” but without creating negative acronyms
9. Ownable as URL and available as trademark
Attachment Staff Report Item 19B
Naming Process
Attachment Staff Report Item 19B
Name Proposal
24 Attachment Staff Report Item 19B
Considerations ● Legal check is complete and clear - name is available for use ○ Other top contenders did not pass initial legal review, presenting risk of litigation
● Trademark registration submitted
● Cultural / Linguistic search completed; no conflicts found ● Social media handles and URLs have been secured in
advance of revealing the name publicly
● Name proposal is the outcome of many months of working with the ad hoc committees, public engagement, consultant engagement, internal staff analysis, and legal review
Attachment Staff Report Item 19B
Ava
Ava Community Energy
Attachment Staff Report Item 19B
Ava Community Energy
Origin Coined from Alameda County + Valley
Rationale Signals approachability
Evokes humanity and optimism
Short, warm, and memorable
Attachment Staff Report Item 19B
Ava Community Energy
Language “East Bay Community Energy is now Ava”
“We’d like to thank Ava Community Energy
for being the Climate Justice Sponsor of the
Oakland Roots.”
“The next speaker is from Ava Community
Energy, servicing Alameda County to the
Central Valley.”
Attachment Staff Report Item 19B
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30 We are Ava Community Energy
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Ava
Ava Community Energy
Attachment Staff Report Item 19B