Utilities are often seen as dry and homogeneous. So, I was thrilled to work with Tas Gas Retail as they rebranded to Solstice Energy and introduced “different energy” to Tasmanians.

The new brand identity, created by Principals and XXVI, was distinctly Tasmanian with its balance of quirk and sensibility. The brand colours are purple and orange; a welcome departure from the typical blue and green used in the industry. The brand voice is people-oriented and full of life, while maintaining capability and credibility. 

The team was a pleasure to collaborate with, rejuvenated by the rebrand and passionate about their work.

My approach:

Over three months, I applied Solstice Energy’s new brand voice across customer letters and emails; Interactive Voice Response phone scripts and text messages; customer charters; employee packs; online portals and website FAQs.

For every communication piece, balancing readability and actionability was critical. I chose every word with intention and tailored the tone and content for each medium and stage:

• Welcome letter sequence: Succinct, clear and positive, informing the customer of next-steps and dates — and always concluding with company contact details for queries;

• Payment arrangement notices: Increased seriousness with warmth and empathy as customers progressed through the sequence;

• SMS copy: More neutral in tone and as direct and short as possible;

• Phone scripts: Conversational and concise. 

I also wrote a “Switch to Solstice” webpage. While the copy needed to be short and punchy, I still found opportunities to inject personality; for headings, I used energy-related wordplay such as ‘Take charge of your energy’ and ‘You’ll be powered up in a flash’.

I love brands that bring a fresh perspective to their industry — and so it was very rewarding to be part of Solstice Energy’s rebrand.