Growth Energy’s brand ambassador program assists retailers in providing information about biofuel blends to customers at the pump.
Growth Energy is now providing resources to help retailers understand the direct benefits that are offered by increased biofuel blends, such as E15, in an effort to facilitate the widespread retail adoption of higher blends of ethanol.
Growth Energy is facilitating the expanded adoption of biofuels by assisting retailers in securing available grants, and then providing direct assistance with marketing and consumer education to drive new business to the retailers.
One of the key marketing tools is Growth Energy’s E15 brand ambassador program. The program focuses on educating consumers about ethanol-blended fuel and E15 by stationing knowledgeable ambassadors at retail dispensers. These ambassadors provide information about E15 to customers at the dispenser while they fill up their vehicles and answer customers’ questions.
This type of marketing engages directly with consumers and results not only in higher consumer awareness of E15, but also provides an opportunity to gather important analytics about consumption patterns, sales and customer traffic during the promotion. The ambassador program has been executed with Protec Fuels, Kum & Go and Murphy USA with plans to expand and include more retailers, including Thorntons.
Growth Energy’s CEO, Emily Skor, recently delivered the keynote address at the Fuel Ethanol Workshop (FEW) in Milwaukee and spoke passionately about the organization’s focus on changing how we engage consumers around ethanol benefits and how we talk about those benefits, describing it as the first step to making E15 the “new normal” at the pump. This brand ambassador program aims to do just that, while also boosting the retailer’s overall business.
“We have to talk to consumers on their terms, we have to talk about benefits that speak to them as individuals. When we do that, and they realize the value of E15, they will look for that option and demand that retailers offer it,” said Skor, “Consumers who care about the environment, reducing emissions, and saving money are using E15. We’re making sure that they are aware of how their purchasing decision impacts all those factors.”
Protec Fuels has benefited directly from the ambassador program at a number of store locations. “Growth Energy is providing an invaluable service by giving us access to these professionals that educate our consumers about our fuel options,” said Steve Walk, Protec Fuels vice president of business development. “We are proud to offer our consumers a choice of higher blends of ethanol, like E15, and we’re equally proud to have Growth Energy as a partner in that effort.”