Warming the UK up to low carbon heating with a trusted British soap

Client: DESNZ (Department of Energy Security & Net Zero)

The UK’s commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 demands transformative changes in individual behaviour, including the widespread adoption of renewable technologies such as heat pumps. However, the high upfront costs, installation disruption, and misinformation have hindered uptake. Our campaign addressed these challenges by embedding heat pump adoption into the narrative of the beloved ITV soap opera Emmerdale, leveraging behavioural science insights and the emotional connection viewers have with trusted characters.

Partnering with ITV, we integrated heat pumps into two episodes featuring Dr Liam Cavanagh’s journey towards climate awareness. This character-led storytelling offered an authentic, relatable context that normalised heat pumps as a viable home heating alternative. Complementing this, a contextual TV ad featuring an Emmerdale cast member educated viewers on practical benefits and government grants, while behind-the-scenes social content deepened engagement among the fan community. This content-led strategy minimised environmental impact by avoiding separate ad productions. All were powered up by ITV's Project Planet endorsement, a unique first-to-market partnership between ITV and OM - unlocking additional credit and badging for advertisers whose products meet strong sustainability criteria.