Promoting Digital Transformation in Manufacturing
The Made Smarter East Midlands Programme has made a significant mark on the region's manufacturing sector, driving digital adoption and boosting productivity.
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The mission
Helping UK Power Networks connect with vulnerable customers.
UK Power Networks developed a machine learning model, ‘Spotlight’, to identify households who may be eligible for their Priority Services Register (PSR), a free support service for customers who qualify.
Social Change was brought in to design and deliver a campaign that would validate this model in the real world, testing behavioural messages, outreach channels and audience responsiveness, all while driving PSR registrations.
This is the first of three phases in an ambitious project to turn insight into impact and ensure no one is left behind during a power cut.
What we did
Smart testing, behavioural framing, and multi-channel delivery.
Working with a dataset of 100,000 households across three key audiences (over 65s, families with under 5s, and medically dependent individuals), we developed and delivered a large-scale, insight-led communications campaign.
- We designed over 30 message variations using behavioural science principles
- Messages were delivered across email, SMS, direct mail and telemarketing, enabling a like-for-like channel comparison
- We embedded behavioural framing into every creative, from tone and structure to sign-off and incentives
- Alongside creative delivery, we analysed engagement data and audience response to assess performance and guide future targeting
- Every message was designed not only to drive sign-ups, but also to help refine UK Power Networks’ model and outreach approach going forward.
The impact
Sign-ups delivered. Strategies tested. Learning that shapes what comes next.
Phase one led to thousands of new Priority Services Register sign-ups and reached more than 88,000 households across the three target groups.
Our structured testing provided a rich understanding of how different behavioural messages and channels perform with different audiences, helping identify what resonates, what cuts through and where best to focus efforts next.
This first phase has laid the foundation for a data-driven, person-centred approach to outreach, turning insight into action and building the evidence needed to support strategic rollout at scale.
What's next?
Refining the formula. Reaching more people. Strengthening the model.
We’re now moving into phase two, which includes further validation and outreach across new priority groups, testing additional combinations of message and channel.
Phase three will focus on scaling what works, using the most effective message-channel pairings to both strengthen the Spotlight model and generate more sign-ups to the PSR, helping UK Power Networks reach even more people with the support they need.
