Mediaplanet has launched Winter Disaster & Home Safety, a campaign first published this past December. It comes ahead of a winter expected to break temperature records and after a run of devastating hurricanes. It aims to show readers what makes the coldest months dangerous. It also explains how to keep homes, businesses and families safe.
Rising winter losses
The stakes keep growing. In 2014, harsh winter weather was behind 15% of all insured catastrophe losses in the United States. That covers homes, cars and businesses, and the share has grown every year since. The damage hits whole communities, not just individuals. Last year, snow and ice losses topped $2.3 billion. That is more than twice the average of the 20 years before. If the trend holds, this year could set another record.
Solar power when the grid fails
Renogy uses the campaign to describe its current disaster relief work. The recent hurricanes in the South hit many communities hard. People in the disaster zone then used Renogy’s Lycan Powerbox and Phoenix Solar Generator units to keep critical equipment running.
Alan Yeung is the marketing director at Renogy. He said gas generators have one big weakness in a disaster, because they need refueling. Yet fuel often runs short in such events, as it did in Puerto Rico. A solar generator is different, he said. People can be as sure of its clean, steady power as they are that the sun will rise. It works almost anywhere and at any time.
Where readers will find it
The print edition went out inside that day’s USA Today. It reached readers in San Francisco, Denver, Chicago, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Boston and New York. Its circulation is about 250,000 copies, while estimated readership is 750,000. Online, the campaign runs nationwide. It spreads through social media and a network of major news sites and partner outlets.
Renogy was one of many backers. Safety groups took part, including the American Red Cross, the National Safety Council, the National Fire Protection Association and the National Chimney Safety Institute of America. Brands such as Duracell, GAF, goTenna, Mold Armor, HotLine, Altaro Software and Paul Davis Restoration joined too. So did Shriners Hospitals for Children, Mike Holmes and The Property Brothers.
Renogy was founded in 2010 and specializes in solar energy. It wants to change the renewable energy business with reliable, affordable gear. The products are meant to be plug-and-play, easy to use and safe for the environment. Its range includes solar systems and power storage for homes, businesses and off-grid use. Mediaplanet creates content marketing campaigns across many industries, pairing industry leaders with the right readers.
