Member Sponsorships Sought
Enbridge came through at our print deadline as the latest sponsor for the CEE Campaign for ENERGY STAR Water Heaters. Although the CEE Board approved kick off of the Campaign at $130,000, more can be accomplished with more members on board. The marketing campaign is designed to blanket the entire water heater supply chain, including distribution channels, installers, and consumers. The campaign is funded by sponsorships from members, manufacturers, and industry trade associations; approximately $150,000 is needed to fund the effort, and that amount has been raised from 16 sponsors.

While the new campaign builds on the existing CEE Water Heater Initiative (supported by member dues, federal grants, and the ENERGY STAR program), it goes above and beyond the original thrust by securing additional funds for a collaborative stakeholder effort that will bring a consistent, credible message to local areas and distribution channels. Both consumer and trade audiences in the United States and Canada will discover the advantages of higher efficiency gas water heating—with special attention paid to the concerns of installers, retailers, and wholesalers on a local level.

If your organization presently has a water heater program, here’s how the new CEE campaign can benefit you:

• With the impetus of industry stakeholders working together on strategy, your own program can achieve an even greater impact by tapping the national market channels to help you achieve your local program targets.
• Capitalizing on the expertise of manufacturers, ENERGY STAR, and other programs, you’ll reduce your own risks and assure better results in your market.
• You’ll be part of a network that joins with manufacturers in a common goal to support program interests in the areas you serve.
• You’ll not only have the advantage of the ENERGY STAR label for consumers, you’ll also be able to extend the recognition and trust of the ENERGY STAR brand into distribution channels.
• By rallying trade participation, a campaign of this sort influences and drives the entire distribution system towards high efficiency options.
• Through a more consistent message across the entire marketplace, you get higher awareness levels and market penetration of high efficiency water heating in your own service territory.

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