Wednesday, October 27, 2010, 8:30am – 11:30am PDT

Cleantech is an industry heavy on R&D, with scientists and engineers, and light on branding, from the marketing and business development voices. Because of this and other factors, cleantech has traditionally struggled in the branding department. We address this weak link herein.

In a crowded and confused market, the need for smart brand positioning and product differentiation is paramount. Cleantech companies need to prioritize branding if they hope to win consumers and gain loyalty. This means self-reflection, surveying of the market, competition, and the audience, and conceiving a clear and dramatic story that balances the "green" factor with a message of efficiency, scalability, and profitability.

At the conference "The Value of Branding for Cleantech," we firstly discuss broad branding tips and strategies before delving deeper into branding for the cleantech industry. As branding objectives can differ considerably for market incumbents vs. entrants, we will discuss re-branding and brand strengthening of established companies, value proposition and market entry strategies for start-up companies, subsidiary product-lines (ex. GE’s Ecoimagination), and brand clarity for M&A.

08:30am:    Reception, Networking and Continental Breakfast

08:50am:    Welcome and Introduction

09:00am:    Panel Discussion Begins

1.    Introduction: The ABCs of Branding

• What is branding and what value does it hold for cleantech companies?
• Self-Reflection: What is your mission statement? What is the vision of your founders? What is your value proposition?
• Market Homework: Who is your competition and how do you differentiate yourself in a crowded market? Who are your customers and how do you reach them? Who are your potential investors?
• What images and messages do you utilize to create a clear, descriptive, and appealing brand (company name, corporate slogan, logo, website design, marketing collateral, etc.)
• Brand Toolbox: how to leverage social media, advertising, PR (in-house vs. out of house), demand generation, lead nurturing, etc. to increase brand awareness and sales?
• What lessons can be learned from other markets and case studies?

2.    The Unique Branding Challenge Of Cleantech

• The Unpaved Road: How do you create a value proposition in a new market lacking baseline industry knowledge? How do you create brand loyalty and promise when your product has no proven lifecycle?
• Being Doubly Green ($): How do you balance the green message with the profitability message? What is the financial value of your cleantech technology in relation to comparable mainstream technologies and applications?
• Technological Sophistication as a Communication Barrier: How do you articulate the benefits of your product and make your technology comprehensible to your customers?
• B2B to B2C to B2...: How do you present your brand to multiple audiences and customers, which may include utilities, public agencies, retailers, manufacturers, end-use consumers, etc.

3.    Branding Strategies: Incumbents, Entrants, Product Lines, and Mergers

• As an entrant in the broad "cleantech" umbrella, or "solar"/"biofuels"/etc. umbrellas, how do you differentiate yourself and your product from the incumbents? From other entrants?
• As an incumbent, how do you reinvent your overall brand and/or cleantech subsidiary brand to convey the right message?
• How do you, as an incumbent (corporation and/or mainstream technology company), integrate cleantech seamlessly into your existing portfolio?
• As an entrant, is an acquisition by a larger corporation a way for your cleantech brand to gain customer trust? How do you then maintain clarity through M&A and consolidation?

10:30am:    End of Panel Discussion: Q&A, Networking

11:30am:    End of Conference

Speakers:

CoGenra Solar, Preston Roper, CMO and VP of Corporate Development 

EMeter, Kyle Arteaga, Global Head of Corporate Communications

Weber Shandwick, William Brent, SVP

Westinghouse Solar, Gary Mull, VP of Marketing 

Moderator: 

Porter Novelli, Amanda North, Global Head of Energy & Environment

Meet the Panel 

Download the Agenda

Location:  Garden Court Hotel @ 520 Cowper St. in Palo Alto, CA. Room: Grove III. 

Driving directions:  From 101 (North or South): Exit University Avenue, go west. Make a left onto Cowper Street. Hotel is on the right-hand side in first block. From 280 (North or South): Exit Sand Hill Road, head east. Turn right onto Arboretum Road. Make a left onto Palm, which turns into University Avenue. Turn right onto Cowper Street. Hotel is on the right side in first block.

Public Transit: Take Caltrain to the Palo Alto stop, upon leaving the train station follow University Avenue 0.4 miles (6 blocks) to Cowper St, turn right.  The Garden Court is half a block down on the right hand side.

Registration: 

Log in to www.agrion.org or create a new profile.  Register directly in the section of the program.

Please contact kimberly.schoemaker@agrion.org for any further questions.