Ausgrid and Stake launch ‘The Switch Is On’, a behaviour change campaign designed to uplift electrification.
The campaign, developed by Stake, has deployed social proof and behavioural science to move NSW households from stagnant awareness to action on electrification.
Research underpinning the campaign found that 50 per cent of households in the Ausgrid network were already considering electrification, but the notion of ‘within the next year’ just kept rolling forward.
“Our behavioural diagnosis revealed a defining insight: people feared being wrong more than they desired the benefits of being right. That shifted the entire strategic approach. Rather than adding more information to an already crowded space, we needed to build confidence and make the path forward feel achievable,” said Stake founder and chief catalyst Matt Thomas.
The research identified that delay had a real and largely invisible financial cost. Each year of inaction was costing households in the Ausgrid network an estimated $2,000–$3,000 in foregone savings.
In response, ‘The Switch Is On’ is anchored by one of its most reliable mechanisms: social proof. Rather than positioning electrification as a future aspiration, the campaign demonstrates that households across NSW are already making the transition. The creative strategy reframes electrification from an individual leap of faith into a visible social movement already underway.
It was built on four behavioural principles: reducing decision uncertainty; easing behaviour-change anxiety; overcoming fear of irreversible mistakes; and leveraging social proof to accelerate adoption. It sits within the broader campaign platform of ‘Good Energy is Electric’.
“We know Ausgrid customers want to make the switch — the challenge was helping them feel confident enough to do it. The Switch Is On gives people permission to act by showing them that people like them already have,” said Ausgrid brand and marketing manager Mary Brookes.
Stake were responsible for producing ATL hero campaign films, cut-downs, static and carousel assets for advertising. It also designing the structure for a fully integrated content ecosystem spanning awareness, consideration, and action. Myth-busting video series, podcast episodes, educational material and microsite content was developed in alignment with this to bolster the funnel and build confidence through the change journey.
The campaign is live across Meta, YouTube, Gumtree and Drive in New South Wales.
Credits:
Ausgrid:
Kate Hawke, Head of Brand and Reputation
Mary Brookes, Brand and Marketing Manager
Lana O’Connor, Brand and Communications Lead
Stake:
Matt Thomas, Founder & Chief Catalyst
Kate Griffiths, Head of Brand & Change
Stuart Nightingale, Creative Director (Freelance)
Iain MacMillan, Art Director (Freelance)
Matt Morgan, Senior Designer (Freelance)
Laura Osborne, Account Director
Array Productions:
Ray O’Hare, Lead Creative Producer
Grantley Smith, Director
