“We knew this not only had the potential to be a really powerful event, but given the importance of the topic we needed to get it right. The Marketing Pod helped bring the event to life. We’re delighted that with the Pod’s help, the event had such a strong impact on those who attended it.”
Xoserve
An immersive event to drive conversations on the affordability of net zero policies.
Xoserve is the UK gas industry’s Central Data Service Provider (CDSP), providing a suite of vital services for gas suppliers, shippers and transporters. It plays a central role in the country’s wholesale gas market, making sure it runs efficiently and reliably – a mission we feel privileged to support.
The brief
In the past year, the Fuel Bank Foundation assisted 623,769 people by providing crisis fuel top-ups, with 75% of those individuals already rationing heating and hot water at least once a week. The Climate Change Committee estimates that achieving the UK’s net zero targets will require investments of £50 billion annually across the economy by 2030. Whether these funds come from government, private businesses, or borrowing, the costs and interest will ultimately be borne by the public. The campaign aimed to unite industry stakeholders and net zero decision-makers to experience the harsh realities of fuel poverty firsthand.
Xoserve called on The Marketing Pod to help create a powerful, immersive experience that would highlight the burdens of fuel poverty and stimulate discussion on the affordability of net zero initiatives. By simulating the daily challenges faced by those living in fuel poverty, we sought to foster empathy and drive a more inclusive approach to net zero policies. The event was designed to engage participants emotionally, making them more likely to advocate for policies that consider the needs of the most vulnerable populations.
Our approach
Pre-event activities included sending email invitations and reminders and featuring the event in Xoserve’s February newsletter. Later, we prepared video case studies, banners, handouts, vouchers and QR codes for donations to the Fuel Bank Foundation. The event was followed by planned post-event PR in April 2024.
The immersive experience was structured into five rooms:
Room 1: Participants were assigned personas and listened to real accounts of their lives in fuel poverty, narrated by voiceover artists in a cold, dark room.
Room 2: Ice packs were placed on participants’ hands as they performed daily tasks such as changing nappies or lacing shoes.
Room 3: Participants engaged in a budgeting task using real weekly budgets and expenses of the personas, completed a quiz on reducing energy costs, and filled out a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) form while listening to the personas’ thoughts and concerns.
Room 4: Those who successfully completed the budgeting task received a hot meal; others had to collect a voucher from the Fuel Bank to get one.
Room 5: A presentation and discussion on the affordability of net zero.
The results
48 industry stakeholders took part in the event, and rated each activity from 0 to 10 in terms of how helpful it was to understand the fuel crisis.
- Listening to the personas’ voices was rated 9/10, with feedback such as: “Listening to the personas was challenging and outside my comfort zone – but very enlightening”
- During the budgeting exercise, every group failed to cover essential costs. Feedback was that: “The accounting exercise was extremely powerful and hard-hitting” and “You are just surviving, you aren't living”. This also sparked a reflection on the cost of fresh food and the impact of diet and of a warm house on people’s health
- Completing a PIP form while listening to worries and concerns was considered the most challenging of all activities. The exercise brought to light the various circumstances that could affect a person's ability to concentrate and comprehend the necessary information to acquire financial assistance.
- The final discussion helped participants rate the impact of three future net zero scenarios: electrification of domestic heating, hydrogen for domestic heating, and no decision made by 2026.
The event was so powerful that Ofgem, The Welsh Government and The Scottish Government have approached Xoserve and Fuel Bank with a request to repeat it.
48 industry stakeholders took part in the event
