SolarCity Plans Book

Campaign Plans Book
January – July 2015
Royal Empress
Advertising Group

2

Table of Contents
Executive Summary................................................................................................................... 3
Situational Analysis.................................................................................................................4
Focus Group Report.................................................................................................................6
SWOT............................................................................................................................................6
Profile of Target......................................................................................................................7
Campaign Objectives................................................................................................................7
Media Planning Kit....................................................................................................................8
Institutional Creative........................................................................................................... 16
Institutional Public Relations.............................................................................................19
Marketing Creative.................................................................................................................23
Marketing Public Relations..................................................................................................26
Campaign Evaluation..............................................................................................................31
About Royal Empress Advertising.......................................................................................31
Appendix…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….32
Creative Institutional……………………………………………………………………………………...32
Public Relations Institutional…………………………………………………………………………36
Creative Marketing………………………………………………………………………………………….43
Public Relations Creative…………………………………………………………………………….…48

3

Executive Summary
The following report, based on extensive
primary and secondary research, has
established that SolarCity needs a new,
informative campaign that will reach your
specific target market through a variety of
different medias. Your ideal target market for
this campaign is well-educated men and
women ages 35-55 who make over $100,000.
The driving force behind our campaign is to
revolutionize the consumption of energy. We
want to make it known that it is not only
revolutionary because the energy itself is
revolutionary; it is also the way that SolarCity
is pricing energy, meaning the way that people
are paying for the energy is revolutionary. We
believe that this is important for your target
market to understand, so we will convey this to
them through the simple yet catchy slogan,
“Revolutionary. Energy.” Along with this slogan,
we will incorporate the idea of “the
intersection of nature and technology.”
Through our research, we found that most
consumers did not know about solar panels or
did not fully understand them and how they
work; focus group members indicated that they
were uninterested due to their lack of
knowledge. With this original campaign, we
aspire to educate your target consumers and
gain awareness of solar panels and SolarCity in
general, along with enhancing the products
market position. Throughout the campaign, we
will utilize a wide variety of different media.
During the institutional phase, we will use
print ads, television spots, digital banners,
airport ads, social media, news releases, a
media kit, guerilla marketing and a 5k-race
event. Then, in the marketing phase, we will
use print ads, social media, digital banners,
program sponsorship, product placement, news
releases and an event to convey our message.
The campaign will be executed for $6,786,440
and will run for seven months from January 1,
2015 to July 31, 2015.

4

Situation Analysis
Company analysis
Based on a concept proposed by their cousin Elon Musk,
brothers Lyndon and Peter Rive founded SolarCity, in 2006.
The public American provider of energy services is
headquartered in San Mateo, California and leads as the solar
energy provider in that state. Along with sales in California,
SolarCity follows a distributed service model and has business
presence expanding from Hawaii to New York. The initial focus
of SolarCity was on the installation of solar panels to provide
energy to both residential and commercial customers;
however, it’s now expanding to include the manufacture of
solar panels and is purchasing the solar panel maker, Silevo.
Over the years, SolarCity has been improving immensely.
SolarCity predicted a rise in installations to 500 and 550
megawatts from 475-525 previously (Solomon.) It is also
predicted to have three times as many employees over the
course of 12 months. That makes SolarCity one of the state’s
fastest-growing employers in one of its fastest growing
industries (Boston Business Journal.) SolarCity focuses not on
lower costs than contenders, but higher proficiency, which
differentiates it from competitors (Guru Focus.)
Market analysis
The solar energy market in the United States is growing
tremendously. In 2014, the United States hit a major milestone
with more than half a million homes and businesses now
generating solar energy. More specifically, the residential
market has seen the most consistent growth of any segment
for years, and it is not predicted to slow down any time soon.
Since 2012, the number of installations in the residential
market has more than doubled. Also, the number of non-
residential installations has nearly doubled, along with the
number of utility installations quadrupling since 2012 (SEIA.)
The fact that the residential market has seen the most
consistent growth is very promising for SolarCity. Solar energy
was the second-largest source of new electricity generating
capacity in the United States, exceeded only by natural gas.
Also, the cost to install solar panels has been continuously
decreasing, with average system prices ending year 2013 at
15% below the prices at the end of year 2012 (SEIA.)
Product analysis
SolarCity provides energy to both residential and commercial
customers. Among its primary services, the products and
services that SolarCity offers are solar leasing, commercial
solar, electric vehicle chargers, energy efficiency evaluations
and retrofits, and manufacturing of solar panels. Solar leasing
is a new option for homeowners that reduces the upfront cost
of installing solar power. Commercial solar recently became
more popular for SolarCity; it began actively providing solar
services to business, government and non-profit customers in
2008. Electric vehicle chargers became a product of SolarCity
when the company bought Clean Fuel Connections Inc. in
2009. Solarcity began offering energy efficiency evaluations
and upgrades in 2010 when it acquired Building Solutions.
Lastly, in 2014, SolarCity purchased Silevo and became a
manufacturer of solar panels, rather than just an installer.
There are several customer reviews from consumers who have
invested in SolarCity products and services. Customer-oriented
sites feature criticism from unhappy customers whose
complaints follow a similar theme: shoddy installation, poor
customer service and hidden fees. Other complaints are faulty

5

explanation and poor customer service (Richards.)
Consumer analysis
Consumers on the West Coast are using solar power more than
anywhere else in the United States. More specifically,
consumers in California are using the most solar energy, and
New Jersey, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico are not far
behind (Maehlum.) Therefore, the solar panel market typically
is interested in the consumers in these geographical areas.
Solar panel users are not hippies like most people tend to
assume. In fact, almost three quarters said they wouldn’t
pursue solar energy if it weren’t for the economic benefits
(Hess.)
According to Shawn Hess from WebPro News, consumers who
use solar energy are moderately religious and they enjoy
indulging in the summer and cranking the air conditioner. Also,
most solar panel users tend to be men who have interest in
cars. Lastly, the average solar homeowner is very “middle of
the road” on the political 3spectrum (Hess.) Switching gears to
commercial solar, over the past few years, American businesses
have gone solar at an unprecedented rate. Walmart, Cotsco,
Kohl’s, Apple and IKEA are just a select number of the many
businesses in America who have gone solar recently (SEIA.) The
fact that these well-known businesses have gone solar shows
that it is becoming very popular in the commercial market.
Competitive analysis
There are many solar panel companies on the market today.
SolarCity’s biggest direct competitors are REAL GOODS SOLAR,
Inc., Ace Solar, Inc., and REC Solar, Inc. (Hoovers.) The mission
of REAL GOODS SOLAR, Inc. is to provide solar solutions
contributing to a sustainable, clean future (RGS Energy.) This
provider was founded in 1978 and is now serving homes,
businesses, schools, utilities and government facilities in12
states.
The website for REAL GOODS SOLAR, Inc. displays a number of
positive customer reviews and offers a free quote. The major
mission of Ace Solar Inc. is to perform for their customers the
highest level of quality solar energy systems, construction and
installation services at fair and market competitive prices. The
company provides for residential, commercial and industrial
clients (Ace, LLC Solar.) The mission of REC Solar, Inc. is to
make solar electricity part of the mainstream energy supply.
This company provides residential, commercial, government
and utility services (REC Solar.) Along with direct competitors,
SolarCity has indirect competitors as well. Traditional electric
companies such as Duke Energy, Dominion Resources and
NextEra Energy pose a threat for SolarCity (Statista.) This
threat exists due to the fact that traditional electric is more
common and well known to consumers, and they believe it is
more affordable. However, providing more information and
educating consumers about SolarCity will help them realize
and understand the benefits of solar panels.

6

Focus Group Report
Focus Group Objectives
•To find out the target market’s awareness of SolarCity as a
brand and their knowledge of installation, use, and
manufacturing of solar panels.
•To find out what features the current target market looks for
when choosing what type of energy to use and what they are
looking for in an energy company.
• To figure out the best way to reach out to our current target
market.
Focus Group Results
Two focus groups were held at William T. Young Library with a
total of 28 participants. The group of participants were diverse
and all paid electricity bills We chose a target market of well-
educated men and women ages 35-55 who make over
$100,000. Our target market is made up of big homes,
diversified retirement accounts, and high-value life insurance.
The focus group began with a brief welcome, the introduction
of team members, advise of recording and the rules. The
questions in the beginning were pretty broad and then became
more specific. We asked the participants about their knowledge
and opinions about the environment, energy and energy
providers, solar panels and solar energy, the brand SolarCity,
SolarCity’s current marketing, and potential installation and
use of solar panels.
After conducting two focus groups, we found that our
consumers are environmentally friendly but the participants
did not put much thought into choosing an energy provider.
When asked about the installation of solar panels and the
usage of solar energy, the participants did not know much
about solar panels or solar energy. Only two of the 28
participants had heard of SolarCity. When asked about possible
usage of solar panels and solar energy, most participants said
that they would need to research more about it. They said that
cost was the biggest factor and that they had a high concern
for the weather and how solar panels work during fall and
winter months.
Since conducting the focus groups, we will use the information
we found to create a campaign that is in the best interest for
our target market.
SWOT Analysis

7

Profile of Targets
Your ideal target market is well-educated men and women
ages 35-55 who make over $100,000. The segment that we
suggest is made up of big homes, diversified retirement
accounts, and high-value life insurance. This wealthy segment
is filled with investment-savvy Caucasians and Asians who own
mutual funds, stocks, and savings bonds at high rates. With
their college degrees and management jobs, they typically
have high incomes and above-average investable assets. This
market segment is ideal because the consumers are wealthy
with financial support and will be willing and capable of
investing in something long-term like solar panels. They are
educated which means they will be able to understand the
enduring and positive benefits and effects of solar panels. The
consumers that we are seeking are most likely to be innovators
or experiencers. Innovators are successful, sophisticated, take-
charge people with high self-esteem. They are change leaders
and are the most receptive to new ideas and technologies. This
is a great target audience for SolarCity since we are trying to
revolutionize the way people consume energy. Image is
important to Innovators, not as evidence of status or power but
as an expression of their taste, independence, and personality.
We propose this target market because
SolarCity’s revolutionary solar panels can be a way for
consumers to express their uniqueness and individuality.
Experiencers are young, enthusiastic, and impulsive consumers
who are motivated by self-expression. Their purchases reflect
the emphasis that they place on looking good and having
“”cool” stuff. This target market is fitting for our campaign
because SolarCity’s revolutionary solar panels are a way for
these consumers to have something new and “cool” that makes
them look good by saving energy. These consumers are
impulsive and would be likely to purchase solar panels.
Overall Campaign Objectives
We came up with two objectives for the institutional phase,
and two objectives for the marketing phase.
The first objective for the institutional phase is to increase
awareness of solar panels among adults in our target audience
by 30% by April 2015. The second objective for the
institutional phase is to enhance SolarCity’s image to potential
consumers through a charitable project by April 2015. For the
marketing phase, the first objective is to increase Solar City
sales in the 15 states we currently operate in by 20% by July
2015. The second objective for the marketing phase is to raise
awareness of Solar City services and products by 50% by July
2015.

8

Media Planning Kit
Institutional Phase Objectives
To increase awareness of Solar panels among adults in our
target audience by 30% by targeting a minimum of 3 times a
week by April 2015.
To enhance Solar City’s image to potential consumers through
a charitable project by April 2015.
Marketing Phase Objectives
To increase Solar City sales in the 15 states we currently
operate in by 20% by targeting a minimum of 3 times a week
by July 2015. (Brand Awareness objective)
To raise awareness of Solar City services and products by 50%
by targeting a minimum of 3 times a week by July 2015.
Traditional Media
News Releases
Print Ads
Media Kit
Digital Media
Charging Station Ad
Television Spots
Internet Banners
Social Media
Product Placement
Interactive Media
Solar City Event (Washington DC)
Solar City 5K Event (San Mateo, CA)
Gorilla Installation (Santa Monica Pier)
Program Sponsorship

9

Strategies: Institutional/Marketing Phases
•Cable Television: Cable television gives us a wide range of
television channels that can be accessed by a large audience.
You are able to advertise shows that specifically appeal to your
target market.
•Broadcast Television: Broadcast television is a great strategy
to target Solar City on. Broadcast television allows us to reach
an even bigger range of our target market because they are
likely to watch these popular channels.
•Internet: This will allow us to reach our target consumer (men
and women ages 35-55) by grabbing their attention through
catchy banner advertisements.
•Social Media: Our target market is up to date with social
media trends and is an easy way for us to access two-way
communication.
• Press Releases: This is a great way to appeal to a general
audience and display Solar City’s achievements, goals and
upcoming events.
•Events:
1) First event will be located in DC in order to attract more
political attention and overall national news coverage. It is
meant to compare the cost of holding the event compared to if
solar energy had not been used.
2) Second event will engage existing customers and potential
customers that focuses on the “green” aspects of SolarCity. An
interactive event that promotes health and fitness will be
respectable way to engage SolarCity customers.
•Interactive Charging Station: In our targeted cities, visible
charging stations in airports will allow people within our target
market to see how solar energy works right before their eyes.
•Product Placement: Incorporating SolarCity into the Netflix
series House of Cards will acknowledge a broad reach of
viewers to come across the company and also remain familiar
in their minds.
•Program Sponsorship: This will engage not only our target
market, but also expand even more “talk” about SolarCity
within the area of San Mateo, California. Providing
demonstrations and education in regard to solar energy for
young students will create knowledge of how much energy is
saved at the school we chose to sponsor.
• Guerilla Installation: Installation of this photo booth will
allow for cost efficient fun and exciting interaction with our
target market.
•Media Kit: This kit will display knowledgeable information
about SolarCity and the announcement of the new advertising
campaign. This will be a cost effective medium that will target
a broad range of our target audience.

10

Media Rationale
Program Sponsorship
SolarCity will announce its program sponsorship with a high
school in San Mateo, California where its headquarters is
located. The program will be called “Solar High School” and
will focus specifically on educating students about solar
energy and its many benefits. This will not only start “buzz”
about solar and green energy for students, but also parents and
people affiliated with the school and surrounding areas. For
the program, Solar City will hold a demonstration of solar
panel installation and track how much energy is saved at the
school over a determinable period of time. This will take place
only in the Institutional phase.
Product Placement
The rationale behind this aspect of the campaign is to reach a
broad range of viewers that watch the popular series; House of
Cards on Netflix. Netflix is a great option for product
placement because they often lower costs of advertising in
exchange for products. This is one way that would easily
reduce the costs compared to a traditional television show.
Cable & Broadcast Television
The rationale behind this aspect of the campaign is to reach a
broad range of SolarCity’s targeted consumers. Television is an
aspect that SolarCity doesn’t have a presence in, but would be
a great impact for the brand. Specifically Broadcast Television
works for this campaign because it is the most watched
programming in America. Cable Television gives us channels
like DIY and MSNBC where we can target specific types of
people. Both of these ways of advertising will be on a pulsing
campaign throughout the entire duration of the 7-month
campaign.
Print Advertisements
Print Advertisements is an effective way to reach our target
consumers; Men and women ages 35-55 years of age. The
rationale behind this aspect of the campaign is that print ads
reach a broad range of our audience due to its longevity. Print
advertisements also offer incredible branding, differentiation
and sways trendsetters. With our targeted consumers seeing
and focusing on our fascinating print ads it will drive them to
also use other platforms. This portion will also be continuous
throughout the entire campaign.
Internet
Because the Internet is the fastest growing advertising tool,
SolarCity will benefit from having even more of an advertising
presence online. With this tool, we can specifically target to
audiences online by determining the most frequently visited
sites and display banner ads for SolarCity on them. This portion
will be continuous throughout the entire campaign.
Social Media
Social Media will be a remarkable aspect to this campaign. This
advertising tool will allow SolarCity to communicate with its
target audience directly. We are going to drive tweets, posts,
shares and mentions for this campaign as well as event
promotions and sponsored material. Targeting the specific
audience through Twitter, Facebook and Instagram will be an
easy and effective way to drive
word of mouth. Social Media is a

11

perfect way for the target market to see what others are saying
about the brand as well as see what SolarCity is currently
doing.
News Releases
The news release will recap the 2014-year in regard to
SolarCity’s accomplishments and what is to come. There will
also be information about upcoming events. This will take
place in the Institutional and Marketing phase.
Media Kit
This portion will exhibit the explanation of a new tagline and
chapter for Solar City in regard to our innovative campaign;
Revolutionary. Energy. This will include information about the
founders, press mentions and press releases from 2014 that are
applicable to the new direction that we are suggesting. This
will kick start the campaign in January of 2015.
Events, Guerilla Installation
With events, our target audience is able to obtain hands on
experience with solar energy and see what SolarCity is all
about.
Charging Stations
Airport charging stations seemed like a perfect fit as a medium
of getting the message behind our campaign across. We want
to begin a revolution of how people generate and pay for their
electricity. One way to do this is by getting our message to
touch as many people as possible. By using charging stations
in four of the biggest airports in America, our ads will be
placed in airports that receive a combined 20 million people in
foot traffic per month. This high number is perfect for
spreading awareness about our brand and what we have to
offer. Even better, these airport locations have a great
demographic for our product. On average, the household
income for domestic travelers who go through these airports is
$90,000. Nearly half of the people who pass through these
airports are white, and the average age is 45 years old.
Media Tactics
Program Sponsorship
Programming SolarCity with a high school near its
headquarters in San Mateo, California is a well thought out
strategic idea. This will allow not only the students to gain
information in regard to solar energy, but also parents and
citizens in the area. This will also display installations
demonstrations and allow those to understand how much
energy is saved at the school from using solar power.
Product Placement
Netflix is almost as popular as cable television. Netflix is a
great tactic to provide our existing customers and potential
customers with product placement for SolarCity. According to
an online source, Netflix currently has 33.42 million
subscribers in the United States. We plan to place our product
in the TV series The House of Cards opening up in February of
2015. The entire show series is released on one specific date
within the month of February, which means this tactic can be
very beneficial for those who enjoy watching House of Cards.
News Release
Institutional - This will be a press release designed to provide
information to our consumers
regarding Solar City’s services,

12

products, as well as the acquisition of Silveo. It will also
provide an announcement of the new marketing campaign, in
addition to the events that will take place within the 7-month
span.
Marketing - SolarCity will display information on a news
release that announces its event that will take place within the
Marketing phase. It will include specifics such as the event
name, what it will consist of, the date and another necessary
information. The news release will be sent out to local papers
such as the San Mateo Daily Journal and put on the SolarCity
website as well as social media for numerous people to see.
Events
Partnership with ACORE & ASES SolarCity will host an event in
Washington, D.C., a location that it currently operates in, in
partnership with ACORE (American Council on Renewable
Energy- in DC) and the ASES (American Solar Energy Society –
Colorado). This event will be located in DC in order to attract
more political attention and overall national news coverage.
From solar panel installation demonstrations, solar energy
games, and speeches from prominent individuals within the
solar panel industry this is sure to spread the word about
SolarCity and what it has to offer.
SolarCity 5K - This exciting event will engage existing
customers and potential customers that focuses on the “green”
aspect of SolarCity. This event specifically promotes health and
fitness would be a perfect match to strictly engage SolarCity
customers.
Charging Station
For the institutional phase, during the first 4 months of the
campaign the advertisements will be continuous in airports
across the United States. We will place these charging stations
in 4 of the most prominent airports; LAZ, Atlanta, Dallas and
New York to engage as many people in our target audience as
possible. With that said, our target market enjoys things that
are visually appealing and technology based so this will be the
perfect fit to catch their attention.
Print Advertisement
Home Power - This would be an appropriate magazine to
display SolarCity print advertisements because our target
market is environmentally friendly and are more apt to read
about how they can help the environment at home as well.
Better Home & Garden - Better Home & Garden airs shows
that specifically want to make not only homes, but also areas
around your home a better and safer place. This will be a
valuable way to show SolarCity targets what this company and
solar energy is all about.
Do-It-Yourself - DIY would be beneficial for SolarCity to run
advertisements on because the target market prefers shows
that display active lifestyles that are centered around the
environment.
Home Improvement - Home Improvement magazine is a great
outlet for SolarCity print advertisements. It airs shows catered
to adults who have families that are focused on home
improvement, health and lifestyle needs, which is exactly what
our target market is.

13

Internet
HomePower.com - This would be an appropriate magazine to
display SolarCity banner advertisements because our target
market is environmentally friendly and are more apt to read
about how they can help the environment at home as well.
DIY - DIY would be beneficial for SolarCity to run banner
advertisements on because the target market prefers shows
that display active lifestyles that are centered around the
environment.
Youtube - SolarCity would benefit from displaying Internet
banner advertisements on YouTube. This is simply because
there are over 1 billion users that visit YouTube per day. With
that said, our target and potential targets will easily be
influenced by what SolarCity displays.
SolarCity.com - SolarCity will also display banner
advertisements on their own website. This will allow
customers going to the site to actually see our advertisements
that we are using right before their eyes.
Social Media - Solar City will benefit extremely from using this
tactic. Having more of an online presence will target our
consumers more effectively seeing that they are high
technology users. This portion will include Facebook, Twitter
and Instagram.
Cable Television
MSNBC - MSNBS provides stories that our target market will be
interested in and truly care about. Since the target market is
well educated, obtain a high income and are sophisticated
advertising to their needs will be beneficial. MRI plus shows
that those with a higher income and within our targeted age
range are 34 percent more likely to watch this channel. With
that said, our target market will easily be targeted from
watching MSNBC.
DIY - DIY would be beneficial for SolarCity to television spots
on because the target market prefers shows that display active
lifestyles that are centered around the environment.
Broadcast Network Television
CBS - Network television audiences are growing every year.
SolarCity will greatly reach their target market by using the
ever so popular, CBS. According to an online source, 22.5
billion people watch broadcast evening shows and news on
this channel. This will easily influence our targets all over the
United States.
ABC - ABC as of this year (2014) saw the most overall growth
in Network Television. Numerous people across the United
States are tuned into shows and news that are aired on ABC.
Using this channel will greatly benefit SolarCity in reaching its
target audience.
NBC - NBC is a very popular Network Television spot in the
United States as well. Using NBC as well as the others will
reach broad audiences reaching from California to New York.
Media Kit
SolarCity’s media kit along with it’s news releases will both be
on SolarCity’s website, as well as distributed to major news
channels. These include CNN, NBC, ABC, FOX, CBS, MSNBC,
Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Boston Globe, NY Times,
LA Times and USA Today. Covering all of those major news

14

channels will reach a broad range of consumers all of the US.
Guerilla Installation
Using a solar powered photo booth in a prominent area like
the Santa Monica pier will be extremely interactive and
beneficial for SolarCity. Photos will print out with a SolarCity
logo on them and users then can upload their photos to
different social media platforms for a chance to win SolarCity
gear.

15

Budget Allocation
For this campaign we are using the objective task method. We
established media objectives and then determined the cost
after achieving these objectives. For the entire 7-month
campaign we are suggesting a budget of 6 million dollars.
We have allocated the budget in the areas of institutional
and marketing phases. This budget includes all production
costs as well as media costs.
Below are the production costs for each phase:

16

Creative Strategy – Institutional Phase
Objective: To increase the awareness of solar panels among
adults in our target audience 30% by April 2015.
Strategy: We will attempt to expose our audience to SolarCity
marketing materials at least three times a week throughout the
institutional phase.
Tactic: With an educational emphasis, we will produce a :30
second TV spot that explains the simplicity of switching to
solar energy with SolarCity.
With a straightforward approach, we will create an airport ad
that clearly shows the biggest advantage to switching to
SolarCity – saving money every month.
Through a body-copy heavy print ad, we will describe how
solar panels work while still keeping the consumer entertained
and attentive.
Objective: To enhance the image of SolarCity to our target
audience by April 2015.
Strategy: To accomplish this, we want to ensure our target sees
our company logo multiple times a week and associates it with
positive marketing materials.
Tactic: A digital banner ad that helps give off a positive
attitude toward our consumer, encouraging them about our
brand and what we have to offer.
A print ad that appeals to the emotions, as well as the logic, of
our consumer.
Airport Ad
This airport ad will be displayed in four major airports
throughout the country, guaranteeing it is seen by a plethora
of our target. We want to convey to them that switching to
solar energy not only allows them to help the planet, but it will
actually save them money, something we found to be a
common misconception during our focus groups. The other
misconception that we found? That switching to solar energy is
expensive. We address both issues in this ad.

17

Digital Banner Ad
Our digital banner ad will be displayed on various websites
that our target visits. We felt it important to display to them
our logo, making it clear who we are. We want to produce a
connection within our audience that when they see our
company, they can let their guard down, because we can be
trusted. This banner ad gives a call to action and includes a
hyperlink to the website.
Print Ad One
With this ad, we wanted to address to our audience the
simplicity that comes with switching to solar energy. We want
them to see this ad, be in awe of the image, then read the body
copy and feel that it makes more sense to become a SolarCity
customer than to continue on with what they are currently
doing for energy.
Print Ad Two
For our second print ad, we are going extremely heavy on body
copy. In fact, it is the only thing this ad has. We put the
company logo on the top and bottom, slightly larger on the
bottom, to make it clear whom the ad is from. Other than that,
it is just white text on a black screen. We feel the minimalistic
design helps to draw in the reader, making them feel at home
and making it easier for them to bring to life the setting that
the ad describes.

18

TV Spot
In our: 30 second TV spot, we help to push through the idea
that switching to solar energy with SolarCity is being part of an
energy revolution, which is the basis of the ad. We begin by
giving them a journey through time, with the culmination
being a comparison between SolarCity and other great
revolutions in American history. The spot helps to showcase
the ease that comes with switching to SolarCity, which again
we feel paramount to the success of the campaign.

19

Institutional Public Relations
News Release - Recap of 2014 for SolarCity
Objective: To increase the publics knowledge of the
accomplishments, innovations, and expansion of SolarCity in
2014.
Strategy: Produce a news release highlighting the benchmark
year SolarCity had in 2014.
Tactics: Distribute the news release to major national
publications (The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post,
The New York Times, The L.A. Times, and USA Today). In
addition, the news release will be distributed to major national
news channels (CNN, NBC, ABC, FOX News, and CBS). The news
release will also be made available on SolarCity’s website.
Social Media - Multiplatform Social Media Campaign
(Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)
Objective: To educate the public on SolarCity’s “5 Steps to
Solar” initiative.
Strategy: Create unique and shareable content for Facebook,
Twitter, and Instagram explaining the quick and easy “5 Steps
to Solar” while simultaneously promoting the financial benefits
of solar power with SolarCity.
Tactics: Post bi-weekly content on all three social media
platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) with promoted and
boosted posts, as well as promoted hashtags such as
“#5StepsToSolar” and “#SolarCity”.
Guerrilla Marketing - Santa Monica Pier Photobooth
Installation
Objective: To introduce SolarCity and solar power to a younger
generation.
Strategy: Install a SolarCity solar powered photobooth on the
Santa Monica Pier.
Tactics: Incentivize passersby to stop in at the photobooth with
information about SolarCity and the “5 Steps to Solar” on the
outside of the booth, as well as information about a photo
contest with the opportunity to win prizes when one uses
“#5StepsToSolar” and “#SolarCity” on Instagram.
Media Kit
Objective: To educate the media on the new tagline and
direction of SolarCity in 2015.
Strategy: Produce a media kit with information about
SolarCity’s new tagline and direction, bios about
SolarCity’s key executives, and press releases and articles
highlighting SolarCity’s past year and plans for 2015.
Tactics: Distribute the media kit to major national publications
(The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The New York
Times, The L.A. Times, and USA Today). In addition, the media
kit will be distributed to major national news channels (CNN,
NBC, ABC, FOX News, and CBS). The media kit will also be
made available on SolarCity’s website.
Event - GivePower 5K
Objective: To promote a healthy lifestyle and involve SolarCity
customers and supporters in the GivePower Foundation.
Strategy: Host a 5K run starting at SolarCity’s San Mateo,
California, headquarters benefiting the GivePower Foundation.
Tactics: Charge race participants a $30 entry fee in order to
fund a solar power system for a school in Nepal through the
GivePower Foundation. SolarCity t-
shirts, hats, and sunglasses will also

20

be available for purchase with all the proceeds going to the
GivePower Foundation. The 5K will be hosted by Elon Musk
and will bepromoted through the use of social media and the
hashtags “#GivePower5K” and “#SolarCity”.
News Release
Social Media
Multiplatform Social Media Campaign (Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram): 5 Steps To Solar

21

Guerrilla Marketing
The Santa Monica Pier sees over six million visitors a year
whether they live in the area or are in town on vacation. The
pier is the perfect place to enact some guerrilla marketing on
the behalf of SolarCity. Southern California has the ideal
amount of sun exposure to promote the use of solar panels in a
successful way.
SolarCity will place a solar powered photobooth on the
Santa Monica Pier Boardwalk. The outside of the photobooth
will have the SolarCity logo painted all across it, as well as
information on the “5 Steps to Solar”. Other interesting and
educational facts about solar energy and SolarCity will be
printed across the photobooth, including the fact that the
photobooth is powered by the solar panels.
Specialized and unique hashtags, “#5StepsToSolar” and
“#SolarCity”, will also be on the outside with information about
a photo contest with SolarCity. Instagram users can upload the
photos they take in the SolarCity Photobooth with the
hashtags, “#5StepsToSolar” and “#SolarCity”, for the chance to
win t-shirts, sunglasses, hats, and other SolarCity products.
The paper printouts of the photos will be printed on
recycled paper that has the SolarCity logo, unique hashtags,
and website printed on them. Taking photos in the
photobooth will cost $0.50 with all of the proceeds going to
the GivePower Foundation.

22

Media Kit
Event
In addition to promoting the use of clean energy, SolarCity
will be promoting a healthy lifestyle through hosting a 5K with all of
the proceeds of the event going to the GivePower Foundation and in
turn donating a solar power system to provide energy to a school in
Nepal.
The GivePower 5K will take place on April 11, 2015, starting
at the SolarCity headquarters in San Mateo, California. Elon Musk
will be the master of ceremonies and will announce the start of the
race, as well as how much money is raised during the 5K. There will
be a $30 entry fee, with the goal of having 1,200 participants so that
the funding of a solar system for Nepal can become a reality.
Race participants will receive a t-shirt with the
“Revolutionary. Energy.” tagline on the front, with “GivePower.
SolarCity.” on the back. Friends and family of race participants will
be able to purchase t-shirts, hats, and sunglasses featuring the
SolarCity logo as well as new taglines. The taglines offered will be
“Revolutionary. Energy.”, “Harness the Sun. GivePower.”, and “The
Intersection of Nature & Tech”. All of the proceeds made from the
sales of SolaCity t-shirts, hats, and sunglasses at the event will also
go to the funding of the solar system in Nepal.
Promotion of the event in the weeks leading up to it will
include social media posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram with
the unique and promoted hashtags, “#GivePower5K” and
“#SolarCity”, which will also be used for pictures and posts during
the actual event. Other promotion will include an e-mail blast to
SolarCity customers, ambassadors, and staff. As well as flyers posted
around the San Mateo community.
We’ll be able to measure the success of the event through
the number of participants and the money raised towards funding
the solar system in Nepal. If the event is successful SolarCity can
host events in other
locations in California,
and on the East Coast to
introduce to SolarCity
and the GivePower
foundation to potential
new customers and
supporters while
promoting clean energy
and a healthy lifestyle.

23

Creative Strategy – Marketing Phase
The overall mission for the creative marketing phase of the
campaign will be increasing sales within the states in which
SolarCity currently operates. The campaign will run from May
1st through July 31st and will utilize the following media
platforms:
• Print – two print ads, full page, color
• Television- 30 second spot
• Internet - Banner
• Social Media – Twitter, Facebook, Instagram
Rationale: Our target is a mix of middle-aged Americans and
marginal Milleninals. The audience is accustomed to both
traditional forms of media, such as print and television, and
contemporary, such as Social media. Using diverse forms of
media is vital to maximizing the amount of people within our
audience that becomes familiar with the campaign.
Print Ad One
Print Ad one will be a long copy advertisement that will
explain the positives installing solar panels onto their homes.
It is assumed, if it is not understood, that initial costs of Solar
panels can be expensive, so any decision to make the change
will be one made out of logic. Our target is critical thinkers and
will need all the necessary information to feel assured in this
purchase. The first print ad will run from May 1st-June 30th
.
Print Ad Two
Print Ad two will be a short copy advertisement which will use
the season, Summer, to assist in the sale of the advertisement.
This ad will take a more clever approach to the sale of
SolarCity solar panels, while never losing a sense of
practicality. The second print ad will run from July 1st-31st.
Both print ads will run in Better Home and Garden magazine, Do
It Yourself Magazine and Home Improvement Magazine.

24

Television
For the entire length of the marketing phase, we will run a
television advertisement. The television ad will reiterate the
function and positives of solar panels and will demonstrate the
evolution of the energy industry. The overall message of the
spot will be that solar panels are the latest form of energy.
Consent to use the the song “Dawn of Man” will have to be
gained from the Metro Godlwyn-Mayer film studio. The spot
will run twice weekly on the following networks:
• MSNBC: Our target is well educated and will have already
become familiar with solar panels and their function. The
target will also understand the importance of solar energy, so
they are also liberal. MSNBC is the network most liberals use
to gain information on current events, making it a natural
platform for the ad. The spot will run during the 8 pm time
slot.
• DIY: Viewers of the Do-It-Yourself Network are home
improvement enthusiasts and are receptive to modifications to
their homes. When a person wants to renovate their home,
they will want the latest and best of everything involved,
giving SolarCity an opportunity to appeal to the viewers. The
advertisement will run during the 8 pm time slot.
• CBS: This is in effort to capture the attention of many people
that may not have seen the advertisement on the previous two
channels. America’s top network, CBS is a guarantee to garner
viewership. Showing the spot on CBS is casting the net far and
wide as possible.
• Youtube: The television ad will also run on videos related to
the content shown on MSNBC, DIY, and CBS.
Internet
For the entire length of the marketing phase, we will use an
internet banner advertisement. The ad will be placed on the
top of each home page on the following sites:

25

DIY: The official website of Do-It-Yourself, the viewers of this
site are people that are interested in home improvement and
are more likely to be open to solar panel installation.
Youtube: One of the most popular sites on the internet,
advertising on Youtube is an ideal way to insure the ad will be
seen.
SolarCity: The official website of SolarCity, displaying our
internet banner on our site will not only be free, but will help
bring the marketing phase full circle.
Social Media
For the length of the marketing phase, social media will be
utilized. Social media will be used to relate to our audience,
who unlike most people in this age range, are more tech savvy.
The social pages will inform the target of the latest at
SolarCity and convince them it is the most modern means of
power. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are the choice social
sites for this phase and all three will be use the tag “ Energy
Evolved”.

26

Marketing Public Relations
News Release – Power the Capitol
Objective: To inform the public in Washington DC of the
“Power the Capitol” event.
Strategy: Promote the event through SolarCity’s website and
social media outlets and local media in the DC area.
Tactic: Prepare a news release to be sent out on the
website/social media and The Washington Post.
Event – Power the Capitol
Objective: To present SolarCity and solar energy to the public
in a positive and interactive way.
Strategy: Show the versatility of solar panels and what they
can be used to power.
Tactic: Hold an all ages event with solar powered food trucks
& games and include key players from the solar industry.
Program Sponsorship
Objective: To increase awareness of SolarCity with our target
audience.
Strategy: Atrract attention of target audience by involving their
children.
Tactic: Sponsor a program at a local high school that educates
students on solar energy and its benefits so that they willl
share their knowledge and experience with their parents, who
in turn will become interested in solar energy with SolarCity at
the top of their mind.
Product Placement
Objective: To promote SolarCity to a mass audience, making
the company name more commonly familiar.
Strategy: Incorporate SolarCity product placement into a
relevant television show.
Tactic: Purchase a spot on the Netflix original series, “House of
Cards,” that will incorporate SolarCity into a 3-episode span
related to the energy bills in Washington DC.
News Release – Solar High School
Objective: To inform the San Mateo area about the Solar High
School program sponsorship.
Strategy: Promote the program through the SolarCity website
and social media outlets as local media.
Tactic: Prepare a news release to be sent out on the SolarCity
website and social media outlets and the San Mateo Daily
Journal.

27

News Release
SolarCity will send out a news release on May 25, 2015, that
will announce it’s event in Washington DC, “Power the Capitol,”
that it will be co-hosting with the American Solar Energy
Society and the American Council on Renewable Energy. This
is about three weeks prior to the actual event. The news
release will discuss what the event entails as well as event
specifics including date, time, and location. It will also
announce guest speakers Elon Musk and Gregory Kats.
The news release will be available on the SolarCity
website and be sent to the Washington Post. Links to the news
release on the SolarCity website will be tweeted via the
SolarCity account, ACORE account, ASES account, and the
Washington Post’s account.
Event
In an effort to attract politicol attention and increase
awareness of SolarCity and its solar panels, the company will
co-host an event in Washington DC, a location that it currently
operates in. The other co-hosts will be the American Solar
Energy Society (ASES) and the American Council on Renewable
Energy (ACORE). ASES is an associastion of solar professionals,
advocates and enthusiasts that is dedicated to inspiring an era
of energy innovation and is involved in many projects that
promote solar technologies. ACORE is a non-profit
organization that is dedicated to building a secure and
prosperous future with clean, renewable energy. It provides an
educational platform focusing on technology, finance, policy
and market development. Together, SolarCity, ASES and ACORE
create a triple threat team of solar focused power that will be
able to bring education and resources to existing customers as
well as potential customers.
The event will take place on Saturday, June 13, 2015 in
Lincoln Park at 2 p.m. It will be a festival that is friendly for all
ages. There will be games for children, live music, solar panel
demonstrations, and food trucks that will be powered by
SolarCity solar panels. The event will also feature speeches
delivered by prominent members of the solar technology
community. Elon Musk, chairman of SolarCity will speak about
common misconceptions the public tends to have on
residential solar panels and the ways that SolarCity has and is
working to solve them. Gregory Kats, founder of ACORE, will
deliver a speech on the importance of getting involved with
the solar movement and ways people can further their
knowledge on the subject. Having these industry key players
will attract a crowd and media attention.

28

The event will be promoted on Twitter, Instagram and
Facebook through various accounts. SolarCity, ASES, ACORE
and the Washington Post will tweet an image of event details
along with posting the image on Instagram and Facebook
using the hashtag, “#PowerTheCapitol” to help track
impressions.
The success of the event can be measured by how many
people show up to the event and participate in the activities. A
rough estimate will be able to be made based upon the
amount of social media interaction the hashtag receives and
the amount of times the promotional image gets shared.
Program Sponsorship
SolarCity will introduce a new program they will sponsor called
“Solar High School” that focuses on educating students about
the benefits of solar energy and allows them to have hands on
experience while learning about the solar technology industry.
The program will include demonstrations that show students
what makes up solar panels, how they are installed, and an
explanation of the science behind turning sunlight into energy.
For the program, SolarCity will install solar panels at
the school and keep track of how much energy and money is
saved from using those panels. The program will run from May
1, 2015 until the conclusion of the school year, when the
panels will be removed from the school. Following the
program, the school will have the option to purchase panels
from SolarCity if they choose to do so.
The first location for Solar High School has been
selected as Junipero Serra High School in San Mateo, CA., home
of the Padres. Junipero Serra is located 1.7 miles from
SolarCity’s headquarters, making it simple for monitoring the
panels in the program’s first exectution. Junipero Serra is a
private Catholic school in the area and has a tuition of $18,830
per year. This will have the potential to reach our target
audience through their children or grandchildren.

29

The program will be announced through a news release as well
as on the Junipero Serra High School website. There will be an
advertisement placed on the school’s website that will include
a link to SolarCity’s website where it will explain the program
sponsorship in more detail for students, parents, or community
members that find themselves curious about Solar High
School.
Product Placement
House of Cards is a political drama television show that’s
created by Netflix, the online streaming site. The show has
grown to be incredibly popular since its release in February of
2013 and takes place in Washington DC. The show is set to
discuss energy bills in the upcoming third season that will be
released in February of 2015.
SolarCity will purchase a spot on the Netflix original
series and in exchange, its solar panels and company name will
be featured in a 3-episode span. Netflix has more than 44
million subscribers worldwide. In its first year, House of Cards
was viewed by 2 percent of subscribers. In the second season,
6 percent watched, equaling out to about 41.4 million
subcribers that viewed at least one episode of season 2. About
33.1 percent of Netflix subscribers are in the United States.
The amount of people that would be exposed to
SolarCity through House of Cards is immense. It will be
promoted on Instagram and Twitter through various SolarCity’s
accounts as well as Netflix’s accounts.

30

News Release
SolarCity will send out a news release on May 1, 2015 that
announces its program sponsorship with Junipero Serra High
School called, “Solar High School.” The news release will
explain the program and it’s goals along with how to apply to
become the next Solar High School.
The news release will be available on the SolarCity
website and sent out to the San Mateo Daily Journal, a local
newspaper where SolarCity HQ and Junipero Serra High School
are both located.

31

Campaign Evaluation
At the end of our seven-month campaign, Royal Empress
Advertising intends to conduct evaluative research,
to make sure that the campaign met all the objectives. As we
have events, print and television advertisements, banner
advertisements, social media, etc., there are many different
ways we will measure our campaign’s success. For the
“GivePower 5K” event, the event’s success will be measured by
how many people participate in the 5K and how much money
is raised. For the Internet banner advertisement, we will track
how many consumers click the Internet advertisement on
websites such as YouTube. For social media we will track the
consumers’ involvement with the social media accounts and
how many new followers each social media outlet gains during
the campaign. For the charging stations in the airports we will
keep track of how many consumers use the charging stations
and how much money is saved using solar energy, when using
these stations. During the evaluation, the campaign’s success
will be measured in sales, profits, and increase of consumers.
About Royal Empress Advertising Group
Established in 2014, Royal Empress Advertising was founded
with the goal of creating and implementing new, innovative
campaigns. Royal Empress approaches every campaign with
dedication to the clients and respect for the public. Each
member of our highly skilled team treats each every task with
passion and develops well crafted approaches that are sure to
address the needs of our clients and partners. There are many
agencies, but none like Royal Empress.
The Team
Camille
Farrell
Account
Executive
Mariah
Rhodes
Associate
Account
Executive

Lauren
Cox
Media
Director

Katherine
McCarthy
Director
of
Institutional
Public
Relations
Zachary
Knight
Institutional
Creative
Director

Sachi
Howard
Directior
of
Marketing
Public
Relations

Dalan
Overstreet
Creative
Marketing
Director

32

Appendix
Creative – Institutional
Airport Ad
Digital Banner Ad

36

Public Relations – Institutional
News Release

43

Creative – Marketing
Print Ad One

48

Public Relations – Marketing
News Release

49

Event Program Sponsorship

SolarCity Plans Book

More Related Content

Viewers also liked

Similar to SolarCity Plans Book

Recently uploaded

SolarCity Plans Book