Strategic Planning Campaign for Local Utility
Project Snapshot
When Zeeland Board of Public Works (BPW) set out to develop a new Integrated Resource Plan for the first time since 2012, they needed more than a third-party consultant to build the plan. They needed their community to be part of it. As their full-service marketing partner, we took on everything from sub-brand creation to community outreach, making sure residents had every opportunity to weigh in on the future of their power supply.
Client Overview
Zeeland BPW is a community-owned electric and water utility serving the City of Zeeland, Michigan. As a public utility, transparency and community trust are central to everything they do.
Zeeland BPW wanted residents to understand what was happening, why it mattered, and how they could have a say in upcoming changes to their electric power plan. As their full-service marketing partner, we were already in their corner, and for this initiative, we went above and beyond our standard scope to make sure the campaign matched the importance of the moment.
Project Goals
Community Awareness
Make sure Zeeland residents knew the IRP process was happening and understood why their voice mattered.
Meaningful Engagement
Create multiple accessible touchpoints for community members to participate, whether in person or online.
Transparency & Access
Keep information current, clear, and easy to find throughout the entire planning process.
Here's What We Did
This campaign required us to think across channels and audiences simultaneously. We created a custom sub-brand for the Power Supply Strategic Planning initiative, rooted in the existing Zeeland BPW brand but built to give this specific effort its own recognizable identity.
Sub-Brand Development
We designed the Power Supply Strategic Planning visual identity from the ground up, using the existing BPW brand as a compass. The result was a cohesive look that felt like a natural extension of the utility's identity while standing on its own across print, digital, and social applications.
Landing Page
We crafted a dedicated landing page to serve as the central hub for the initiative. The page housed meeting information, FAQs, survey access, recorded meeting resources, and ongoing updates throughout the process. It will continue to be updated as the finalized IRP is completed.
Promotion
Community Survey
We crafted a community-wide survey designed to gather meaningful input from residents. The survey was promoted through a mailed postcard sent to the full community and pushed across social media channels, with both pointing back to the digital survey for easy completion.
Press Relations
We published press releases locally to build awareness and lend credibility to the process, reinforcing that this was a transparent, participatory effort from a utility that answers to its community.
Social Media Promotion
Throughout the campaign we created social assets promoting the community meeting, the survey, and key milestones in the planning process, keeping residents informed and engaged at every stage.
Follow-Up
Why It Worked
Community Participation
Over 200 survey responses and strong attendance at community meetings reflected something more than good promotion. It reflected a community that trusted the process because the process was designed with them in mind.
Single Hub
With more than 600 visits to the landing page, the centralized resource became a go-to for residents wanting to stay informed, ask questions, and track progress throughout the IRP development.
Full-Service, Above and Beyond
This campaign is a strong example of what it looks like when a full-service marketing partner goes beyond the usual scope. From sub-brand to survey to press release to landing page, we handled every marketing touchpoint so Zeeland BPW could focus on the work of building a better energy future.
When your next big initiative needs a marketing partner who can handle every detail, we'd love to be in your corner.