How Origin Energy Flipped the Switch From ‘Usual’ to 'Useful'

Origin’s ‘All Kinds of Useful’ flips the script on traditional utility companies, reframing Origin as a brand that simplifies life – from solar-powered dog kennels to clearer customer service.

Developed with Special Group, the campaign uses the metaphor of a switch to signal a shift from "usual" to "useful."

The platform represents Origin's broader ambition to transform not just its marketing but its entire customer experience -- embedding usefulness into every product and interaction.

Speaking to LBB, Origin’s chief marketing officer Catherine Anderson and Special’s chief strategy officer Bec Stambanis unpack the insights behind the campaign.

Catherine explains how customer frustrations shaped Origin’s operational changes, while Bec reveals how humor and simplicity helped challenge apathy toward utilities – proving that even the most practical brands can connect emotionally.

LBB> What specific customer frustrations or insights inspired the ‘All Kinds of Useful’ platform, and how did they shape the campaign’s direction?

Catherine> Customers continue to tell us they feel overwhelmed with life, and part of that is thinking about their utilities. They're telling us everything feels harder than it should -- and when we ask what they need from Origin, we keep hearing “please just be easy to deal with”.

Our customers want to be able to act on the information we give them, not get lost in it. And for us to understand what they’re trying to do, then help them do it -- quickly, simply, and without the runaround. Whether they’re choosing a new plan, trying to understand a bill, or just looking for advice, they want us to feel like a trusted guide, not another obstacle.

Bec> We knew going in that there is a lot of apathy and frustration when it comes to dealing with big service providers in Australia, so much so that people often don’t even know which utility or energy brand they are with. Everything feels overly complex, challenging and confusing, and there is a massive amount of distrust. This became a huge part of how we shaped the strategy and platform. We needed to meet people where they are and acknowledge this truth before we could change how people saw Origin. We wanted our comms to be as simple and human as possible in a difficult and disingenuous category.

LBB> Can you share an example of how Origin’s internal operations or services have already changed to align with this new brand promise?

Catherine> Our brand promise and our internal operations and services are very connected here. We’ve been working towards making this commitment to our customers for a period of time -- the brand promise is really a natural evolution. Over the past few years, we've been migrating to a simpler customer platform (Kraken) and structuring our customer service teams into ‘families’ to best serve our customers. Our technology feature releases are often focused on usefulness to customers, and our rewards platforms aim to meet customers at moments in their days and either directly help or bring something fresh to an otherwise monotonous task -- like saving money on fuel, discounts on movie tickets and earning Everyday Rewards points. And we’ve got some more exciting additions to our Rewards program on the way.

LBB> The campaign includes playful concepts, such as solar-powered dog kennels -- how do these creative choices balance humour with tangible utility solutions?

Bec> We are using the flick of a switch -- a beautifully simple device -- to symbolise how Origin is a useful company. All conveyed in a direct, unfussy way. Succinct and to the point.

But we also wanted to show the warm, empathetic side of useful. We wanted the story to be charming and emotive (not cold or detached), hence the wink to the solar-powered dog kennel or the complicated parking sign that uncomplicates itself.

The interesting thing about ‘useful’ is that while it may appear very practical, it’s an incredibly emotive idea. When things are more useful in your life you feel deep appreciation, admiration and gratitude. Origin’s love language is useful in this way -- it's all about small, applicable acts of service.

LBB> How will Origin measure the success of this repositioning, both in terms of customer perception and business outcomes?

Catherine> When it comes to measuring the success of ‘All Kinds of Useful’, our focus is really on our current customers. We service over 2 million households and businesses – and success for us is happy customers.

Origin is not shy in its ambition to lead the energy transition. We’re fully committed and want to help our businesses, households and communities through the energy transition and ensure nobody is left behind.

LBB> What challenges did you face in shifting perceptions of a traditional utility company, and how does this campaign address them differently?

Catherine> We don’t see ourselves as a traditional utility company, and part of this campaign is about showing up in a different way to communicate that. We have a fast-growing internet business, we offer home assist products for households, we are guiding large commercial and industrial customers on their journeys to net zero, and we want to help guide our customers on their individual electrification journeys through fantastic data, technology and service.

Bec> We talked about this at length during campaign development. Shifting perceptions of how people see utility providers and Origin would require us to show up in stark contrast to the rest of the category. Origin is genuinely doing things differently, and we needed to show that to Australia in a way that felt tangible and real. People didn’t want hollow statements about “innovating for the future.”

We needed to put our hand out and help guide people through the everyday -- right here and now -- and do it in a way that was remarkably simple. We made sure that every part of our communication did that, from our two-word billboards to how Origin responds to queries to how customer content is designed so it is easy to understand.

LBB> The Useful Switch is a central metaphor -- how did you settle on this idea, and what does it symbolise for Origin’s broader transformation?

Bec> There is nothing more useful than the humble yet mighty switch. The objective of the campaign was to flip the switch on how customers see and experience Origin, making everything they do more helpful to people -- from how they interact with customers to how they design products. So, the switch was a clear choice. It acts as a familiar shortcut to our more enormous ambition and signals that a fundamental shift is taking place. It was very important to us that the switch was not just a clever trick but the heart of our campaign, revealing how ordinary things can become extraordinary tools, making life infinitely more helpful.

LBB> Beyond advertising, what concrete steps is Origin taking to ensure customers experience this useful shift in real interactions?

Catherine> Living the concept of ‘useful’ every day started with our teams -- beginning with a simple Slack channel asking people to submit their ‘useful’ ideas to improve work life, customers’ experiences and community impact.

Each customer’s expectation of usefulness will be unique, so we expect our customers to experience Origin’s usefulness in a variety of ways. That could be how we’re able to bundle products to drive more value for customers, to the useful rewards they’re able to access, to the customer experience from our energy specialists.

LBB> How does this campaign tie into Origin’s expansion into services such as internet and electrification, rather than just energy?

Catherine> Everything we bring to market is focused on helping households and businesses. Being able to offer our customers internet is a response to a desire from customers to have their services with one provider -- think about how useful it would be just to deal with one utility provider when you move house. And electrification is a non-negotiable for us, this is the way households and businesses will shift towards embracing Australia’s energy transition. And who’s better placed to guide Australians on this journey than Origin?