As we approach CHARGE Europe (14-15 October), we’ve been asking our top speakers and partners to share their ideas and takeaways to power other energy brands. In this article, we speak to Catarina Barradas, Head of the GlobalBrand at EDP.
Can you start by sharing a bit about EDP and your priorities?
EDP is a global energy company present in four regions of the globe: Europe, North America, South America, and Asia-Pacific. We are leading the energy transition based on the talent and drive of our people–13,000 employees from over 60 nationalities worldwide. At EDP, we are proud to be one of the greenest utilities in the world, with 98% of our energy generated from renewable sources in the first half of 2024. We are also recognized as the world’s most sustainable electric utility by the prestigious S&P Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI).
Our main vision is to create superior value for all stakeholders, contribute to a more sustainable future and push the energy transition further. Accordingly, EDP has set ambitious business goals: to be coal free by 2025, 100% green by 2030 and to be net zero by 2040.
What impact does the energy transition have on brand identity now, and how important will it be in the future?
Climate emergency is undeniable, and the transition to renewable energy sources plays a critical role in protecting the planet. With over a 20-year track record in the energy transition, EDP has stepped up to the challenge of accelerating it and is committed to leading by example.
Our business strategy is based on a global vision and a single internal purpose: our energy and heart drive a better tomorrow and is fully aligned with our brand identity.
Our identity positions EDP as a leading brand in the energy sector, reflects the values and human skills of the company and unifies all aspects of our business. A brand open to the power of collaborative ecosystems, engaged with the rhythm of the energy transition, flexible to adapt to constant change and integrated, ensuring resilience nowadays and in the future.
Our commitment to decarbonization and sustainability, along with our aim to be at the fore front of this transformation, will continue to shape our brand identity. This ensures that EDP maintains its position as a key player and leader in the energy transition. Highlighting the benefits for communities, such as affordable energy, job creation, economic development, energy independence and energy resilience (ensuring there are no energy blackouts) is central to our strategy.
What specific challenges is EDP facing in regards to the energy transition and what is important to focus on to enhance your marketing and stakeholder management?
This decade is decisive and requires global collaboration. Therefore, the main challenges are time and collaboration. This transition demands a serious commitment from everyone: governments, companies, and civil society. We need to work in partnership to accelerate the pace of the energy transition. Thus, effective stakeholder management is crucial for EDP. We aim to build trust, transparency, and proximity with all our stakeholders, integrating their expectations and identifying emerging risks and opportunities.
Other key areas for EDP are innovation and digitalization, which enable smarter use of the grid, more effective and efficient resource utilization, and greater accessibility for the entire population. These efforts contribute to a more inclusive and sustainable energy transition, reflecting EDP’s mission to lead in this shift, whilst ensuring that no one is left behind.
Accordingly, the brand plays a crucial role here, as it reinforces and narrates the business strategy. Our brand strategy focuses on embodying a more global and inclusive company dedicated to the future, sustainability, innovation, and social responsibility.
How is your company responding to rising user expectations and aligning them with your strategy?
EDP is effectively responding to rising user expectations and aligning them with its broader strategy, ensuring a sustainable and consumer-centric approach to the energy transition, while ensuring the communication with our clients on the right time, with the right content, in a transparent and consistent way. Our brand presence is tailored to meet the needs and interests of different audiences, particularly the new generations who are digital natives.
Regardless of the channel or content, we communicate a coherent brand narrative based on a powerful claim, We Choose Earth, which aims to mobilize the entire society in this urgent and necessary transition. All our initiatives reflect our purpose, and we strive to tell the story of each project through a simple and captivating message, with the ambition of raising awareness and inspiring others to contribute to this mission.
How much emphasis do you place on emotion versus rationality when building an energy brand?Does “feeling” and emotive resonance have a place within brand strategy?
As I mentioned, the EDP brand strategy is fully aligned with our business strategy and objectives. Therefore, while managing and driving business growth through rational brand characteristics is assured, incorporating feeling and emotional resonance is a critical component of our brand strategy. More than ever, brands have a unique opportunity to tell their story through innovative strategies that foster a high level of closeness with their audience.
At the core of our strategy are our social impact projects.Through EDP Y.E.S. (You Empower Society), our global programme that aims to invest over 300 million euros by 2030 in more than 500 social responsibility projects worldwide, we share powerful stories that resonate deeply with our communities.
Additionally, our global institutional brand campaigns demonstrate the power of emotional resonance by creating meaningful connections with the audience, resulting in a significant increase in core brand value associations. The results show that our campaigns leverage authenticity, impact, and empathy to build trust and brand preference.
What lessons can you share about simplifying complex concepts/technologies for branding and communications?
The main lesson is to break down the complexity of the energy sector into relatable stories. We focus our narrative on two concepts: ‘keep it simple’ and ‘what’s in it for me’, This involves simplifying language and decoding the benefits of the renewable energy transition for each stakeholder.
Working in the entertainment sector has made me more aware of how films can convey simple yet powerful messages. I bring this desire to the energy sector: the power to change attitudes with a strong, understandable, and impactful message that resonates with everyone.
What can attendees look forward to hearing from you at CHARGE Europe?
The EDP Brand has seen important stages throughout its history, always building towards a valuable brand equity. At CHARGE Europe, I will share EDP’s exciting brand journey, and show how EDP is committed to a sustainable future because We Choose Earth and we act accordingly in all our projects: we’re no longer just walking the talk, we’re now running the talk.
