Touchstone Energy Selects New Creative Team

After an exhaustive and competitive review process, Touchstone Energy has selected a new advertising firm, White & Partners, of Herndon, Va. White & Partners is one of the largest independently owned and operated marketing and advertising firms in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region and has been doing award-winning work for a variety of clients, including Amtrak, Time Warner, Virginia Tourism, and the Department of Defense, since it was founded in 1964. The firm also has experience working with associations, such as the National Governors Association and National Fire Protection Association.

“We’re looking forward to the fresh ideas and creative vision White & Partners brings to the brand,” said Jim Bausell, chief operating officer of Touchstone Energy. “We were very impressed with this team’s performance throughout the review process and during the creation of our new ‘Power and Hope’ television spot, which was created to highlight co-ops’ hurricane relief efforts,” added Bausell.

Touchstone Energy cooperatives are already benefiting from the diverse capabilities White & Partners provides. More than 90 cooperatives took advantage of the unique opportunity to have the new ‘Power and Hope’ spot tagged for local use with their co-op’s name and logo.

Matt White, chairman and CEO of White & Partners, says his team is excited about helping Touchstone Energy co-ops build brand awareness and communicate the cooperative difference. “We want more co-op members to identify themselves as members, instead of just customers, and form a deeper connection to the brand and the values it represents,” said White.

“One of the things that set this firm apart from the other candidates was the fact that its values are consistent with the Touchstone Energy core values of integrity, accountability, innovation, and commitment to community,” said Bausell.

For more information on White & Partners, go to www.whiteandpartners.com.

New ‘Power and Hope’ Print Ads Communicate Cooperative Difference

Customizable Ad Templates Available at www.touchstoneenergy.coop
 

Wasting little time demonstrating their creative powers, the White & Partners team created new print ads to complement the Power and Hope television spot. Each ad carries a unique message expressing gratitude and pride in cooperatives' response to hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Each ad can be customized with any image and unique co-op logo.

“These new ads clearly communicate the cooperative difference,” said Jim Bausell, COO of Touchstone Energy Cooperatives. “They deliver messages that members need to understand and that help to make them feel proud to be served by a local electric cooperative,” he added. “As one ad states, we want those members at the end of the line to know that ‘in times of need, they can always rely on their Touchstone Energy cooperative.’”

Print-ready, customizable versions of the ads are available in the member resources section of www.touchstoneenergy.coop, under the Communications Tools tab.

Call for Nominations: 2006 Touchstone Energy Distinguished Service Award

Nominations are being accepted for Touchstone Energy Cooperatives’ highest honor, the Touchstone Energy Distinguished Service Award. The award is presented annually to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the Touchstone Energy brand on a national level.

Nominations must be submitted to Marty Haught, Touchstone Energy director of communications and brand education, by Dec. 1, 2005. Up to two awards will be presented at the Touchstone Energy Annual Meeting in Orlando, Fla., which will be held in conjunction with the NRECA Annual Meeting Feb. 20-22, 2006.

To request a nomination form and learn more about award criteria, please contact Marty Haught at marty.haught@nreca.coop or 703.907.5986.

Co-op Shows Community Spirit at Touchstone Energy Sportsarama

Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative (Lexington, S.C.) helped generate plenty of community spirit on and off the field during the Touchstone  Energy Lexington County Sportsarama in August. The annual event is the kick-off for the high school football season and is an effective way to build brand and co-op awareness. This year’s event was the first time Mid-Carolina had participated as a sponsor, and the event proved to be a natural fit for the co-op and underscored its commitment to the communities it serves.

“We were glad to be part of the team for Sportsarama,” said Eddie Richardson, manager of member services. “Since we are a locally based, consumer-owned company, there have always been co-op employees and members in the crowd and on the field at past Sportsaramas. Sponsoring the Touchstone Energy Lexington County Sportsarama was just a more formal way for Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative to demonstrate our community spirit.”

The two-night event included four football games featuring teams from area high schools, cheerleading competitions, and halftime entertainment. The co-op presence was hard to miss: the Touchstone Energy cold-air balloon was tethered near the end zone, mascots and cheerleaders distributed stadium seat cushions and key chains featuring the Mid-Carolina logo to fans, and the Touchstone Energy logo was painted prominently mid-field.

Co-op Connections Program is a Hit in Oklahoma!

Oklahoma co-ops continue to enjoy success with the Co-op Connections card program. Co-op Connections is a member-benefits card program that offers co-op members the benefit of product and service discounts and participating retail businesses the benefit of increased sales. The Co-op Connections card not only offers valuable discounts, it provides members a sense of belonging to the cooperative and strengthens the partnership between local businesses and the co-ops. 

About a dozen co-ops are working with their G&T, Western Farmers Electric Co-op (Anadarko, Okla.), and have recruited roughly 30 statewide businesses and more than 400 local business locations to accept the Co-op Connections card in Oklahoma.

“The Oklahoma co-ops are proud that Eskimo Joes, an Oklahoma icon and great bar and grill, known to celebrities and U.S. presidents, is now a participating business,” said Jonathan Smith, C&I marketing manager at Western Farmers.

“Also, many co-op members have been saving up to $30 a night at Best Western hotels throughout the state,” added Mark Faulkenberry also a C&I marketing manager at the G&T.

Both managers are actively assisting their member co-ops with the program. Smith is working with the Touchstone Energy staff to make the Best Western agreement valid throughout the country. In the meantime, Faulkenberry and his wife have tracked their personal savings gained from continuous use of their Co-op Connections card to nearly $150. Faulkenberry’s favorite example of a co-op member-owner reaping benefits from the program is the one who saved $200 in a single purchase of floor tile for a home renovation project. 

“Now that’s real money,” says Faulkenberry.

To learn more about Co-op Connections, go to www.touchstoneenergy.coop.

Register Today for NET2006

The seventh annual New & Emerging Technologies Conference (NET) will take place Jan. 18-19 in Phoenix, Ariz., at the Pointe South Mountain Resort. A slate of informational tracks at NET2006 will focus on the latest technology trends, industry issues and more, including:

• Public-Private Financing Strategies - Finding the dollars to fund that new co-op technology project requires research, perseverance and creative thinking. Get acquainted with public-private project partnerships that accomplish the goal while enhancing local quality of life, B2B relationships, and the environment.
• Transmission System Status Update - Are transmission system constraints real? Will they impact co-ops and their customers in the near future? Get the answers and see how restructured energy markets and new regulations are reshaping the transmission system landscape.
• Site Selection Success - Industry experts weigh in on the essential tools and strategies for selling properties and getting them noticed via mapping and demographics. Learn from co-ops that have been successful at selling properties, attracting businesses, and facilitating development.
• Energy Managers Speak! - Energy managers from a diverse group of businesses offer their views about where the energy industry is headed and what they need from their co-ops. 
• Power Supply - The Future is Now - Power supply has been a moving target, with fuel cost increases, a new federal energy bill, and planned infrastructure investments. Industry experts will offer insights on the future of power supply, new technologies, and what they mean for distribution co-ops and their commercial and industrial customers.
• Internet & Communications - Advancements in Internet and communication technologies can generate huge gains in customer service and operational efficiency. This track goes inside the technology pipeline and examines the new techs, like BPL, RFID, and VoIP, that are improving the links between co-ops and customers.
• Outdoor Lighting - NET2005 offered some bright ideas in active and passive indoor lighting technology. In January 2006, attendees will take facility energy reduction outside with a look at high-efficiency outdoor lighting.
• Serving Schools - Opportunities abound with continuing education about the latest energy management and cost-saving strategies that have proven successes. Hear about high-tech learning environments that save energy and tax dollars.

Co-ops are encouraged to invite their business customers to the conference, where they’ll have a chance to interact with other co-op officials and national energy managers. Attendees will be treated to an evening reception at the Penske Racing Museum.

Attendees who register by Nov.18 will be entered in a drawing for a new iPod Nano. For more details on NET2006 and complete registration instructions, visit the Web site, or contact Kathryn Momot at 703.907.5707, or kathryn.momot@nreca.coop.

SitesAcrossAmerica.com: In the News and On the Road

Touchstone Energy continues to promote SitesAcrossAmerica.com, its free, Web-based clearinghouse of available sites and buildings in co-op territory that has helped sell more than 50 properties. SitesAcrossAmerica will attract more attention over the next month, as advertisements featuring the site selection tool appear in the October edition of Corporate Real Estate Leader magazine and the November edition of Site Selection magazine. Together these publications reach more than 50,000 real estate site selection professionals.

SitesAcrossAmerica will also be promoted at the upcoming CoreNet Global Summit, a premier conference and trade show for corporate real estate professionals. The event attracts more than 3,000 top real estate decision-makers.

For more information on SitesAcrossAmerica, or to find out how to post available properties, contact Kristine Jackson at 703.907.5633 or kristine.jackson@nreca.coop.

South Carolina Co-op Recognizes Outstanding Students

Berkeley Electric Cooperative (Moncks Corner, S.C.) has developed a program to recognize students who give back to their schools and communities. Working in partnership with a local TV station, BEC has launched a “Touchstone Energy Student of the Month” program that recognizes good deeds that represent one or more of the four core values of Touchstone Energy.

Each month throughout the school year, teachers are encouraged to submit names of students who demonstrate good citizenship, help other students, overcome difficult personal circumstances, or do something special for the community. After the winners are chosen, they are recognized on television and receive a plaque and cash award.

“The goal here is to recognize the student who does good work - kids of high integrity who give back to their community or school - deeds for which they never receive a high grade or headlines in the newspaper,” says Eddie McKnight, vice president of marketing and member services at BEC. “It’s an ideal way to emphasize the link between our local co-op and the Touchstone Energy co-brand and four core values,” added McKnight.

Connect 2006: Save the Date!

 
Mark your calendars now for the 2006 Connect Conference. This can’t-miss event will take place May 16-19 in San Antonio, Texas, at the Marriott River Center. Connect 2006 promises to once again deliver information-packed sessions and provide effective brand-building strategies for communications, marketing and member services professionals. Stay tuned for more details! 

Co-op Connections Web Site Introduces New Print Function for Easy Promotion

Members of co-ops participating in the Co-op Connections member benefit card program can now generate a printout of all local and national discount deals. The print function can be accessed via a button on a co-op’s own Web site. Clicking on this button will link members to a special landing page, where they can click on the print icon to obtain a listing of deals. The list will include both national deals and the local deals associated with that co-op.

For more information on how to access this function, or for general information on Co-op Connections, contact Cynthia Henthorn at 703.907.5575, cynthia.henthorn@nreca.coop.

Quotable Quote

“The Touchstone Energy NET Conference provides the best circumstances possible to improve your relationships with your customers. Besides the wealth of valuable content presented at the conference, your customer gains an appreciation of the strong Cooperative network and builds constructive relationships with other Energy and Key Account Managers.”

-Wade Harris, Flathead Electric Cooperative, Kalispell, Mont.

Clarification

In the September issue of Update, it was reported that only eight of the Touchstone Energy co-ops in Illinois contributed to the Farm Progress Show. In fact, all of the Illinois Touchstone Energy cooperatives participated in this successful event.

Editor, Erin Keogh
erin.keogh@nreca.coop
703.907.5572