ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the synergy between developments in information technology and those in the energy industry (in particular, renewable energy devices), to understand how that relationship impacts energy branding. Both technological developments - —that of “universal connectivity”, culminating in the ubiquity of mobile data devices, and solar panels, now a thousand-fold cheaper than at their 1954 launch – —were pursued by scientists at Bell Labs. The chapter discusses how new energy technologies and configurations are changing marketing and branding within the sector. As innovation is driven by small companies, successfully translating internal communication styles to an external audience is seen as key to differentiation and effective branding. Such companies rely on their products and services to convey their brand philosophy, rather than on costly marketing and branding campaigns. The concluding remarks address the increasing role of emotions in energy purchasing decisions - —mirroring growing concern on climate change – —as opposed to decisions based on price of energy alone.
