Sunrun, a US provider of residential solar energy, was one of the first companies to offer solar panel leasing as a way to make alternative energy available to more homeowners. While still emerging, the solar category was already cluttered and becoming commoditized with “zero down” savings messages. To stand out and build awareness of the brand, Sunrun needed a unique and compelling brand platform.

We chose to celebrate the feeling of going solar with Sunrun through a brand platform centered around the idea that “with solar energy, everyone can win”. This lead to the tagline of “Brilliant”, which is multi-dimensional. It allows Sunrun to celebrate the benefits of going solar through the eyes of the consumer and through the appliances that benefit by running on the sun. Across TV, radio, OOH, digital, and social, “Brilliant” has proven successful — with unaided awareness increasing 600%.

The campaign began with OOH in two key markets (San Diego, CA and the Bay Area, CA) that celebrated the excitement of having appliances run on Sunrun. The OOH featured appliance imagery in the shape of a sun that became an iconic visual mnemonic for the brand across channels.

Radio started in parallel with the OOH in the same two key markets and featured appliances speaking to consumers on the joys of running on solar energy.

TV in San Diego, CA and the Bay Area, CA followed and brought to life the excitement of an entire home operating with solar from Sunrun.

Digital and social followed, reminding consumers of the benefits of switching to solar with Sunrun.

The campaign gave consumers confidence that running their home on the sun with Sunrun isn't just smart, it’s brilliant. Post campaign results proved that Sunrun has been able to change their target audience’s perception of the brand, with unaided awareness increasing 600%, aided awareness doubling from 9% to 18%, and consumers describing the brand as 2x as “cool”, 3x more “stylish”, and 4x more “clever” than competitors ads.

Since the campaign launch, Sunrun’s business has continued to boom — the company has doubled the number of rooftop solar system installations year over year. The icon appliance / sun imagery has become an iconic visual for the brand and has been used across media including OOH, TV, digital and social media, alongside the “brilliant” tagline to remind consumers that with Sunrun solar energy, everyone wins.