Facebook Energy

I spent too much time on Facebook this weekend. Who's doing what? Following the debate on the debate... the usual stuff.

But it seemed the chatter on Facebook was higher than usual. Was there bad weather this weekend? Are people actually taking ABC's "National Stay at Home Week" to heart and watching the latest (un)reality TV shows? ABC even suggest this is good for the environment and the economy: Stay home, save gas.




Hmmm. Maybe they hit on something. Here are a few comments on Facebook from my usually "on-the-go" friends:

"Pretty crazy. There is some gas to be found, but the wait has been long. Yesterday I went to 5 stations close to my house and none had gas. Luckily the one I went to today had people directing traffic in and out and they were doing a good job moving people through. People are running out of gas looking for gas!"

"Melissa is staying at home because there is no gas!"

"Jackie is stranded at home this weekend with a quarter of a tank of gas and tapped out gas stations in Atlanta."

"I hear that...I had actual PLANS tonight...have to choose...social, tennis match tomorrow, work next week? Still up for debate."


Now there are lots of insights I could offer, all of which are immediately apparent: The power of social networks like Facebook to make problems instantly shared and global. The psychological impact of perceived shortages (think bread line references all week by the candidates). The lack of back-ups to automobiles in fast-growing "modern" cities like Charlotte and Atlanta, which have woeful public transportation systems. How marketing ideas like ABC's always benefit from good (or bad) timing.

For now, I leave you only with the image below and the reminder that we can't wait another thirty years to address the same issue.

What's Blowing in the Wind?

You may have seen the recent advertising campaign from Vestas, the U.S. wind energy company. The $100 MM "No. 1 in Modern Energy" campaign is running largely in consumer media. The message "America has some of the world's most abundant wind resources, and Vestas is here to help harness them" is certainly timely and welcomed.

But why would Vestas bother talking to consumers? That's what Dow Jones asked, too. The answer is simple: Things are not always what they seem.

As we told Dow Jones Newswire, "Consumers aren't going to run out and buy wind turbines, but they do influence government and politicians. If politicians feel that constituents support alternative energies like this, they're more likely to support legislation that allows these technologies to grow more quickly."

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200808251045DOWJONESDJONLINE000270_FORTUNE5.htm

To read the article, just follow the link. To follow the progress of this campaign, just read this blog. More in the coming weeks.