“The Pod has essentially become our marketing department. I know I can trust them to deliver – I know if the Pod works with us on a project they will know exactly what we and our customers are after, know exactly what we need and have the tools, knowledge and expertise to deliver. This has given me back roughly two days a week - meaning I can attend more Industry meetings & workshops, engage with my customers more regularly, and spend my time developing the decarbonisation programme, without having to worry. The partnership with the Pod has really accelerated the success of the Xoserve Decarbonisation programme, long may it continue!
Xoserve
Providing the right information, to the right place, at the right time
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
When Xoserve was chosen to help gas industry stakeholders with ensuring the data infrastructure underpinning a hydrogen project was fit for purpose, The Marketing Pod was asked to help implement its communication strategy. The industry-wide project, HyDeploy, aimed to introduce a 20% hydrogen blend into the existing methane gas public network. The Pod and Xoserve combined marketing knowledge with industry expertise to plan and execute a complex strategy, which needed to reach many different stakeholders across the UK gas industry.
Our approach
With its vision in place, Xoserve created a robust and comprehensive approach that drew on its deep industry understanding and considered all stakeholders. Next, it needed support to communicate its aims and approach to a wide audience with diverse needs and concerns in a clear and easy-to-digest way.
We worked closely with Xoserve’s energy and decarbonisation experts to craft a detailed communications strategy. We decided the most suitable assets for the task included 3-min explainer videos, banners, FAQs, guest blogs and podcasts. The result was a series of snappy, clear, interesting marketing communications that were able to get across the project’s technical information.
The results
With more than 40 different gas suppliers involved, and very few industry parties not affected by the trial, managing stakeholder engagement was vital. The communication strategy created by the Pod team helped Xoserve provide the right information to the right stakeholders - at the right time.
As Xoserve’s Decarbonisation Strategy Lead, Victoria Mustard, explained an “unexpected” result was being able to take the marketing learnings from HyDeploy and apply them to communications plans for other projects where Xoserve was involved. Victoria says Xoserve has been able to build its reputation in marketing and communications across the UK gas industry as a result of the work.
She added: “When we were first thinking about our involvement in HyDeploy, we thought about three areas of delivery – Technical hydrogen trial support and long-term hydrogen system and process development. The third part,leading on Industry engagement - grew into a comprehensive e marketing and communications strategy – and The Pod has really helped us to improve our facilitation and communications offering. Because of this, we’re fast becoming that go-to centre of excellence for industry comms.”
Xoserve has been able to build its reputation in marketing and communications across the UK gas industry
40
different gas suppliers involved
