Bord Gáis Energy Introduces Ireland to Smart ‘Zenergy’ with the Brill Building

Bord Gáis Energy, the energy provider serving over 730,000 residential and business customers  across Ireland has launched its most significant recruitment campaign to encourage consumers  to switch to a SMART plan with the launch of the strategic and creative platform ‘Need More Zenergy? Think Smart’. 

The platform and fully integrated campaign aims to educate consumers on the control a more  personalized Smart plan offers and encourage switching with ambitious targets to get Ireland  utilising the Smart meters installed in over 1 million homes to use their energy more efficiently.  The hero campaign assets including tv feature a humorous story of an out—of-work  relationship counsellor who has found that she has far less clients since Bord Gáis Energy Smart  plans ‘are saving their relationships – and money’.

Based on previously established data that the average household spends on average 19 hours  20 minutes discussing household expenses every year, Zenergy is the first work for the brand  from creative agency The Brill Building. The agency previously partnered with Bord Gáis Energy on their sponsorship of Shine A Light with Focus Ireland in 2024. 

Ireland has a number of energy-related targets for 2030 and beyond, relating to energy sources,  emissions, end use and efficiency. The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development  (Amendment) Act 2021 established a legally binding framework for Ireland to transition to a  climate neutral economy by 2025.

Meadhbh Quinn, head of marketing, Bord Gáis Energy confirmed the campaign ambition, “This campaign marks an exciting new direction for the Bord Gáis Energy brand. To achieve  Ireland’s climate goals, we all need to be smarter with our energy use and we’re leading the  way in reimagining how energy is used. Our carefully curated range of Smart plans  empower consumers with choice and control, reinforcing our commitment to changing  energy behaviour and usage. 

We’ve seen first-hand how customers who embrace Smart technology quickly become  advocates for its impact on daily life. By helping Ireland move past debates over laundry  times and EV charging—with a sense of ease and humour—we hope to spark a movement.  We call that feeling of less stress and more control ‘Zenergy'.”

Shot by director Tom Merilion with Speers Films and photographer Liam Murphy, the through the-line campaign encompasses tv and VOD, OOH, radio display, social and PR with strategy,  creative and production from The Brill Building, media and influencers from Group M and PR  from The Hive. Leading The Brill Building team on the account are CEO and ECD Roisin Keown, insights lead Kev Chesters, creative lead Peter Snodden, creatives Bex McNally and John McMahon, producer Laurie Easterby and project lead Eleanor McCarthy. 

Roisin Keown, CEO and ECD, The Brill Building, said, “Our initial research identified that most households with Smart meters aren’t on a Smart plan  because they haven’t understood or been convinced of the benefit. So when the team  uncovered the learning that it’s estimated we each spend hours each year – eh ‘discussing’ – household expenses (and we’ve all been that soldier) then we knew we could talk in a whole  new way about what the benefit of a Smart meter could be. We believe in creating real world  impact at The Brill Building, so that message had to be delivered with a smile, so we’re excited  to help the brilliant team at Bord Gáis Energy bring a little more zenergy to Irish homes.”