ABSTRACT
The chapter starts with a history of the electrification of Finland in the late 19th nineteenth and early 20th twentieth centuries, serving as an introduction to Fingrid, the country’s transmission system operator (TSO). Despite Fingrid being a state monopoly (meaning, without domestic competitors in the electricity transmission business), Jukka Ruusunen, the company’s CEO and president, is a firm believer in the power of energy branding. His justification revolves around the concepts of “trust”, “societal support” and “licensce to operate”. Ruusunen also talks about effective branding as a signal that a company such as Fingrid takes on its social role seriously, thus circumventing hostile political scrutiny, company fragmentation and excessive legislative requirements. He also reflects on the meaning of branding in a company staffed predominantly by engineers. Although the concept of branding might not be understood in the same way by engineers as by marketing professionals, concepts such as “reliability” and “reputation” resonate equally, regardless of professional orientation.
