Travelling road show ‘Gallery of excellent European lighting’. Marketing energy efficient lighting in The Netherlands

Ireen de Nijs, Novem, The Netherlands

Keywords

marketing, energy efficient lighting, pinbased CFL-dedicated luminaires, gallery, european design competition, GEEA label, energiepremieregeling, promotion of efficient lighting, (interior-) design, top-end shops, retailers, fairs, free publicity, road show

Abstract

In 2001, Novem organised a national promotion in the Netherlands known as the Gallery of Excellent European Lighting. The Gallery was a travelling road show mainly based on the “European Design Competition ‘Lights of the Future’ for CFL-dedicated luminaires” organised by the European Commission.

The idea for a Dutch Gallery developed during marketing support for the European Design Competition, and was based on a marketing analysis of efficient lighting in the Netherlands.

The objective of the Gallery of Excellent European Lighting was to demonstrate the commercial perspective of energy-efficient luminaires to luminaire suppliers and distributors. As a result retailers will be stimulated to broaden their selection of pinbased CFL-Dedicated Luminaires. The strategy of Novem was to encourage top-end shops to market pinbased CFL-Dedicated Luminaires, with the intention that this would persuade other (i.e. lower positioned) Dutch retailers to follow. The principal target groups of the Gallery were retailers, designers, manufacturers and consumers.

Labelling (GEEA) and the Dutch Government’s rebate scheme for purchasers of energy efficient goods ('Energiepremieregeling') have been integral components of the Gallery.

The road show visited eight Dutch top-end shops for interior design and lighting. Each road show took place over a three-week period, and was comprised of winners of the European Design Competition. The Gallery comprised 44 energy-efficient luminaires, of which 7 were eligible for a 50 Euro rebate from the government. The Gallery of Excellent European Lighting was also present at two important Dutch fairs on lighting and interior design. At these fairs Novem organised two symposia to which luminiaire designers, manufacturers and retailers were invited. Novem organised radio attention and issued several press releases for these.

With the Gallery (April 2001-March 2002), Novem has been able to broaden the awareness of the advantages of pinbased CFL-Dedicated Luminaires with their targetgroups. Conclusions indicate that the travelling road show ‘Gallery of Excellent European Lighting’ has potential for reducing energy demand in domestic lighting.