Making coal cool: The Consol Energy branding story

In an era where many companies are having their brand stories told by competitors, reporters, analysts, politicians and others, Consol Energy committed to proactively sharing their story with the world from their perspective. Not many people really knew Consol and what it stood for, which created a great opportunity to build their brand beyond the one thing that few people did know them to be – a traditional coal company.

Tom Hoffman, SVP, Consol Energy, and winner of our own 2009 BizMark “Advertiser of the Year” award, partnered with a Pittsburgh-based advertising agency to begin the process of positioning Consol to help make “coal cool”. That phrase is actually shorthand for a list of key objectives the branding campaign had to fulfill, starting with tackling critical recruitment issues to attract young talent into an industry that wasn’t viewed as contemporary or attractive.

What started with a deep dive into research and strategy development culminated in an award-winning creative campaign for “America’s On Switch”. Mr. Hoffman, along with the local advertising agency, have both received numerous accolades for this campaign, but the real benefactor has been the Consol brand which has experienced unheard of growth in both its public awareness and its list of qualified employment candidates. The tremendous pride it has instilled in its workforce might actually be the greatest benefit of the ongoing brand building.

Today, Consol Energy is known as a diversified energy company, including coal and natural gas, but the brand platform continues to evolve allowing room for growth and flexibility according to future business strategies. Many people in this region of the country, including Brett Harvey CEO of Consol Energy, would tell you that a strong brand creates results that aren’t found on spreadsheets but are found in the hearts and minds of advocates like the employees, customers, investors, suppliers and yes, fans, of Consol Energy.