Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is one of the largest combined gas and electric companies in the United States. Following the San Bruno pipeline explosion, PG&E hired SSC to help build a campaign to humanize the company and rebuild trust with customers.

Through rigorous research, SSC found something interesting. Although customers saw the company and its corporate executives unfavorably, everyday employees, including lineworkers, customer service representatives, and safety specialists, were held in high regard by their community. When we polled the community, we learned that this was largely because the workers were familiar to local residents. Most people knew someone who worked at PG&E, whether they were family members, neighbors, or friends.

Using this revelation as a backdrop, SSC developed the Local Heroes campaign, a multi-channel program that focused on PG&E employees and their hometowns. This campaign led to a 17-point brand lift over the course of the four years the ads were in the market.