If I were a coal marketer, I'd likely go this (clean) route, too.

Note: Since this post aired, we've had participation from America's Power (thank you). This is a great example of a conversation that is better due to company involvement...and thusly, I'm generating some ideas on how they can better promote their cause and, perhaps, overcome some challenges. Any ideas are welcome (because coal is not necessarily my forte...but maybe I have a future in it ;-). Do join in!

Here's a spot (see below) from America's Power. And while the first couple shots of a lump of coal are pretty darn ugly, the campy "It's a celebration!" song works well towards their desired goals.

And I like the messaging of "America's Power" far, far better than "Human Energy" (or "Human Elements"). On their site, it's worth noticing their category of "clean coal technologies" and how much they've invested in them.

Does make me wonder, though, how vast the difference really is between "dirty coal" and "clean coal"?  Now if they can deliver on that, they should show it in a spot featuring another campy song. Be the campy song coal initiative. Believe me, there are enough weeping violins in the aforementioned oil and chemical spots.

Also, if I were working for this group, being it's the holidays, I would send the major media a stocking full of coal--with "Made In America, Good and Clean for America!" labels on the coal lumps--and urge them to "look at clean coal technology differently," by regaling all of coal's benefits (maybe a lucky winner should get a diamond :-).

Update: They took me up on this idea and Santas will be handing out coal (it will be chocolate) next week in various places. I'll get some pics to show you soon.

I'm not sure if this outfit classifies as an organization, special interest group or lobbying arm but they're obviously funded by the coal producers. They're doing a great job with wording, from America's Power about page:

"Americans for Balanced Energy Choices (ABEC) was formed in April 2000 to provide a voice to community leaders in the development of energy and environmental policies. To date, over 150,000 community leaders from all across the country have joined ABEC as a means of keeping informed on what is happening with energy and environmental policies at both the state and federal levels. Primary funding for ABEC’s outreach efforts come from America’s coal-based electricity providers.

As a group, we believe that America can continue to make great progress in improving environmental quality while at the same time enjoying the benefits of using domestic energy resources like coal to meet our growing demand for affordable, reliable and clean energy."

Btw, I spent a day a half-mile deep inside a coal mine in West Virginia--for a college course where we explored "a day in the life of" many situations (I also went to medium-security prison). The coal mine was a surreal experience, and one of the best of my life. There's not enough respect in the world for those who go into the mines everyday, and we lost far too many miners this year. I'd like to see more on the safety efforts and investing in those.

Here's the spot (RSS and email readers, click on through to the blog):

Comments

[Lewis Green]

CK,

I'm going to stick my neck out here and try to remember back a few years when I first read about clean coal. I'm sure someone will correct my misrememberings. However, as I recall, coal is coal. It is in the way that we burn it that makes the difference between dirty coal and clean coal.

To produce "clean coal," the coal is washed then burned and the emitted gases cleaned, removing sulpher dioxide. It is the technology that makes it "clean" burning.

To date, the technology cannot remove all the sulpher dioxide, and it is expensive, making businesses reluctant to invest in it.

[CK]

@Lewis: Well that helped very much; thank you! I think there are two kinds of things; those that are "good" for the environment (like solar heating) and then others that are "less bad" for it (clean coal). But if it's markedly more expensive, it's not going to move.

I'm wondering with oil what the price comparisons are. Do very much like the campaign messaging and even the campy spot.

[Lewis Green]

CK,

I think where authentic and honest marketing can help the coal industry is that, no matter the consequences, we are decades away from eliminating fossil fuels from our energy diet. Therefore, we need to look at coal as an alternative to oil. Why? Because oil is buried in the world's most unstable and dangerous region, making it unreliable and potentially unaffordable. So educating the public and Wall Street on coal and making it attractive as an alternative can produce positive marketing results.

As for the environment, we are caught with our smokestacks spewing garbage because of our apparent unwillingness to fund and to move to new technologies more quickly and to the practical need to keep industry dependent upon fossil fuels for their bottom line alive and employing millions.

[david]

@CK: You asked about prices:

Coal generates electricity at one-third the cost of other major fuels.

Here is data from the U.S. Department of Energy:

Based on the average cost in dollars per million Btu for 2006 (annual average for the full year):
Coal — $1.69
Petroleum liquids — $8.28
Natural gas — $7.31

(Take a look for yourself: www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/epm.pdf)

[CK]

@David: Thanks for chiming-in. I'm complimenting your org's messaging and creative (and if you'll check the links in the above post, you'll note that I don't always do that for energy companies ;-).

Readers: this is a very good example of it being beneficial (and welcomed!) for a company to participate in a convo--as David is from America's Power organization.

Back to David: Does "clean coal" sell at those above margins, too? And, can you tell us marketers...what's the biggest challenge at present: is it the safety perception, price, changing habits? Very curious by nature are we.

PS: please do give thought to sending media a stocking full of clean coal. there's still time and it's worth the ink ;-).

[CK]

Oh...you could also have some fun with "Coal is the new Black." Or "Black Coal is the New Green."

Get it?

[Mack Collier]

"Readers: this is a very good example of it being beneficial (and welcomed!) for a company to participate in a convo--as David is from America's Power organization."

I second that, good to see David doing a service to America's Power by engaging bloggers in our space! Good things can only happen when companies and organizations are smart enough to do this!

[Tom Parish]

I would wonder though, what is the total inclusive cost of transporting coal with trains that burn diesel 24x7 across America and the clean up of goal when it's burned and the clean up of coal burning facilities every few months ... and so forth. Where are those costs and who pays them?

Tom

[CK]

@Tom: Great questions...I hope we get more answers soon, as I'd love to look at an "all-told" case of creating and transporting/distributing it. There are also safety measures that need to be upped/maintained (I would think those are wrapped into the selling price). Stay tuned. (and thanks)

[david]

The biggest challenge right now is informing people that coal is 50 percent of our electricity and it's better to work together to make it as clean as possible rather than to fight it at every turn. It's abundant domestically, it's the cheapest fossil fuel... and technology can help us get to near-zero emissions. As for prices, the quoted prices are averages of all plants.

[CK]

Thanks David. The mindset needed is to "make coal our friend, not foe." While this is not an 'energy' blog (and I'm no energy expert), I will say that I did not know about the "near-zero emissions".

See, when I think about coal--I think black, messy, and lots of smoke (like from the old railroads that used it). And "clean coal" has to be an anomaly to most people. I think your "uplifting" ads are great, I think hitting on coal's abundance and prices are great. But, I think it's beneficial to somehow "show" how clean coal is better for the planet--you can do that through ad spots as well as a piece that might 'go viral'.

If we're going to get people to "think differently" we need some type of proof (that of course is absolutely true) in order to make that change. See, all the oil co's are saying we need to be part of the solution...but that does not give consumers a clear action point ("Ok, we're supposed to think about solutions, let us add that to our growing to-do lists!"). So make "clean coal" a very clear, real and currently used option. Even though it's being used, people need to better understand 1) what it is 2) it's benefits (price, environment) and 3) its abundance.

Anyone else have any ideas for David?

[Toby]

What fun to create a campaign to change the image of coal from a 'lump of coal instead of an xmas gift' to positioning clean coal as a converted present.

[david]

We like the ideas and are adopting some of them. Look for buzz next week about teams of Santas handing out coal-shaped chocolates.

[CK]

@David: Sure hope I get some coal (chocolate) in my stocking this year. Send pics/video once it runs--and if it's happening in NYC, please let me know where.

[Robot]

The message provided by you:"And I like the messaging of "America's Power" far, far better than "Human Energy...IS so GOOD,and the information about clean Coal Technology by you is also have good message to others.