The Torin Douglas Interview: Pamela Conway, British Gas
The Torin Douglas Interview sees the renowned media journalist speak with leading advertisers to explore some of the biggest issues facing the industry. In the second of the series, Torin speaks with Pamela Conway of British Gas about advertising whilst under political and consumer pressure, the changing media mix for the energy giant and the focus on ‘owned’ channels.
Like all the energy companies, British Gas has been in the headlines recently over its price rises, which have been heavily criticised by politicians and consumer groups.
Pamela Conway is British Gas’s director of marketing and loyalty and a member of ISBA executive council. In the second of my interviews with marketing directors about their use of media in the digital world, I asked her what impact those criticisms have had on their advertising strategy?
“It’s changed the way that we’re spending our money, and the choices we’re making,” she says. “Our strategy is changing in line with consumer reaction to recent events and the politicians’ speeches. We have to acknowledge that and respond accordingly.
“We’re focusing more on our ‘owned’ channels and communications to our own customers,” – such as helping vulnerable customers with information on how to reduce bills.
Rather than using paid-for advertising through other media owners, she says British Gas is communicating more through its bills, including the envelopes and the ‘outers’, its website, and posting messages through its on-line account management service for customers.
“Television smacks of shouting in some respects, especially in the current situation, so sometimes you need to take stock and speak to customers directly through those one to one channels.”
Pam Conway has been at British Gas for 18 months. Before that she was managing partner at Ogilvy One, following spells as client services director at Leo Burnett and group business director at Claydon Heeley. I asked her how different it felt being a client rather than working in an agency.
“As a client, you live and breathe your business every single minute of every single day and you become more commercially aware of the impact of certain media choices, and how to get the best return on investment,” she says.
“I believe that in an agency you’re usually only concerned with your discipline, so you only see one slice of the pie.”
She and British Gas are working hard to help their agencies work more closely together. “I’m very lucky – I have a very good group of agencies and as a client we have positively encouraged integrated working, so we brief the agencies together and ask them to come back with one strategic solution. We don’t want five different agencies coming back with their own perspectives and effectively all pitching for the business.”
So why is British Gas creating a new ‘head of media’ role?
“Just as consumers are getting closer to brands, I believe business and media owners need to get closer together and understand shared strategies,” she says.
“Lines between conventional media and things like content are beginning to blur and we’ve started to move into media partnerships. To make the most of that and look for new opportunities, I believe we need someone in a head of media role to communicate our brand strategies to these media partners.”
Three years ago, the majority of British Gas’s spend was in the traditional channels such as TV and radio, but Pam says they’re gradually moving more into the digital space in its “broadest sense – digital from a content and editorial perspective,” and moving into publishing and programming.
“We’re not actually going to make programmes yet, we’re not quite that adventurous,” she laughs. “But, certainly in our business, videos and content related to help and services is always welcome. At its most basic, a video about how to bleed a radiator, conducted by an engineer, can help improve search results and provide a service to our customers.”
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