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Statue of Lenin
Art Attacks
Pumpkin Gore
Floating
Fashion Show
Halogen Campfire
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Stunt: Toasting Marshmallows Over Halogen Lamps
Client: Seattle City Light
As part of a year-long Seattle City Light campaign to promote energy conservation, Muir created a vivid, exciting and successful media campaign to publicize the Seattle City Light Great Torchière Turn-In Program. The program offers cash incentives for the public to replace dangerous, energy-wasting halogen torchière lamps with energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamps.
The goal of this media stunt was to highlight the wastefulness of halogen lamps-which create a whopping 1100 degrees Fahrenheit. In carefully controlled experiments (late one night), we discovered that it took less than 5 seconds for marshmallows to ignite when held over halogen bulbs, dramatically illustrating the wasted electricity and the danger of the lamps.
We then created a campaign that centered on toasting marshmallows over the lamps. It was a wacky idea that captured the media's eye.
Each media kit came supplied with two marshmallows on the front ready for toasting, and announced two media events. The first was held in an Eagle Hardware parking lot, with Seattle City Light employees, fire artists and local firefighters toasting marshmallows over a bank of halogen torchière lamps. In the second stunt, we took torchière lamps in-studio at a prominent radio station and cooked breakfast for the on-air talent: the distinctive sound of eggs sizzling in butter was broadcast live, while a Seattle City Light employee discussed the energy conservation issues with halogen lights.
Both events gave Seattle City Light employees prime exposure to print and broadcast journalists to educate the public about energy conservation issues. Interviews and "teases" hit eight television broadcast segments and local dailies sent photographers and interview journalists.
Muir planned, staffed, publicized and executed both events. As a result of the publicity campaign, turn-ins in year 2000 doubled at both Seattle locations for the Great Torchière Turn-In Program compared with 1999's experience.
Seattle City Light presented this campaign at a national utilities conference and received a standing ovation for its creativity and effectiveness.
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