Sparkfund, a utility services company, is the distributed energy resource (DERs) deployment layer for the built environment, transforming buildings into a valuable extension of the grid. Through its Distributed Capacity Procurement (DCP) model, a novel utility-led approach to DER deployment, Sparkfund aims to give utilities a new tool to meet historic energy demand from AI and data centers, the return of domestic manufacturing, and the electrification of everything.
Challenge
As Sparkfund prepared to launch its DCP model at RE+ 2024, the company faced significant challenges in gaining traction for this new concept. Up until that point, DERs had been deployed through a direct-to-consumer model, where adoption was fragmented and slow-moving. Utilities were struggling to plan for DERs and vendors encountered barriers to scaling their solutions within utility ecosystems.
DCP was designed to address these challenges by streamlining the procurement process, positioning utilities as the centralized purchaser of DERs to accelerate deployment. However, because this approach was new, utilities and vendors required significant education on its value proposition. Utilities needed to understand how DCP could enhance grid stability, improve capacity planning, and reduce procurement complexities, while vendors and developers required assurance that a utility-led procurement model would create more opportunities rather than hinder their growth.
Additionally, Sparkfund faced an increasingly crowded marketplace, where differentiation and credibility were essential for gaining industry trust. With multiple players in the DERs and Virtual Power Plant (VPP) space competing for attention, Sparkfund needed to not only introduce a new concept but also establish itself as the go-to expert in DCP, ensuring its voice stood out amid a sea of energy transition solutions.
INK helped get us and our new offering in front of the right people at the right time, starting to make Sparkfund synonymous with Distributed Capacity Procurement.
Pier LaFarge
Chief Executive Officer, Sparkfund
Solution
To help Sparkfund introduce DCP to the market and establish ownership of the conversation, INK developed and executed a multi-week communications campaign centered around Sparkfund’s presence and CEO Pier LaFarge’s speaking session at RE+ 2024. The campaign was designed to build awareness, educate key audiences on DCP, and drive engagement with Sparkfund during and beyond the event.
At the heart of the strategy was a targeted content distribution plan that leveraged a mix of organic and paid digital channels to amplify Sparkfund’s DCP-focused blog series. Rather than simply promoting these blogs once, we repurposed and continuously resurfaced the content in varied, engaging formats throughout the campaign, ensuring that each asset gained maximum value and reach over time. Additionally, we provided strategic support for pre-event promotion of Pier’s speaking session, ensuring high visibility among RE+ attendees and positioning Sparkfund as a key thought leader in the evolving load growth conversation.
For organic social, INK executed a dual-channel social strategy, leveraging both the Sparkfund brand’s LinkedIn and X accounts and CEO Pier LaFarge’s personal accounts. This approach allowed Sparkfund to engage audiences at both the company and executive leadership level, reinforcing credibility and fostering direct engagement with industry decision-makers.
Our paid digital strategy focused on reaching high-intent audiences actively researching distributed energy solutions. Dynamic search ads drove traffic to Sparkfund’s educational content, while display ads and LinkedIn promotions targeted key industry stakeholders in the weeks leading up to and following RE+ to maximize engagement. Further extending Sparkfund’s presence on-site at RE+, INK deployed geofenced ads around key event locations to ensure attendees saw Sparkfund’s messaging in real time.
Results
By aligning content strategy, digital marketing, and executive thought leadership into a cohesive effort, INK positioned Sparkfund as the authoritative voice in DCP. The campaign leveraged a high-profile industry event to gain visibility and awareness, ensuring that Sparkfund not only introduced a new procurement model but also solidified its role as a market leader in the conversation around utility-led DER deployment.
Through INK’s targeted SEO strategies and content distribution, Sparkfund secured top-five Google rankings for key DCP-related search terms, including “utility-led DERs” and “distributed capacity procurement.” This organic search visibility ensured that Sparkfund’s content remained discoverable even after the campaign ended.
Paid efforts outperformed industry benchmarks, with digital ads generating over 834.9K impressions and a 17.04% CTR on dynamic search ads. On social media, Sparkfund’s LinkedIn following grew by 110 new followers, nearly doubling its previous monthly growth rate. Posts from the CEO reached an average of 3,000+ viewers, with direct engagement from influential figures in the energy space and other key stakeholders. Website traffic also saw a substantial lift, with 3.3K website clicks and a 1,423% increase in sessions over the course of the campaign.
Ultimately, the campaign succeeded in making Sparkfund synonymous with the DCP conversation, cementing its thought leadership and laying the groundwork for continued industry engagement. By taking a strategic, multi-channel approach to content repurposing and amplification, INK helped Sparkfund not only introduce a new procurement model but also establish long-term credibility in an evolving market.
