Utilita’s national campaign has been hard to miss across Scotland, with Dave Angel taking over TV screens, radio programmes, as well as buses, taxis and billboards in the big towns and cities.
But who is he, and why has he teamed up with the UK’s leading Pay As You Go energy supplier?
Earlier this year, Utilita launched a new campaign to educate the country on the power of ‘seeing and saving’, aiming to help the public to regain control and remove the sense of dread that energy bills can bring.
This is why the BBC’s Fast Show's ‘ eco warrior’, Dave Angel, has teamed up with the company to encourage the UK to ‘Save Like Dave’ by switching from direct debits to Smart+ PAYG.
Those who pay on the go can benefit from industry-leading technology which helps consumers to only pay for what they use, and get back in control of usage and spending.
The adverts are designed to challenge the energy direct debit status quo for those fed up with bill confusion and rising invoices, with no visibility of their usage.
It showcases the power of seeing, in real-time, energy usage via a smart display, dispelling the myth that prepaying for energy via a smart meter is disadvantageous or inferior to other payment methods.
Dave is also letting consumers know that Utilita does not incorporate standing charges on their tariffs – they never have, and never will.
Jem Maidment, Utilita’s chief marketing officer, said: "Dave Angel’s deadpan delivery of pro-planet advice is fun, but has the power to plant an important seed of thought that every consumer cannot avoid any longer, in the interest of the pocket and the planet.
“Utilita was created 20 years ago with one ambition - to help households get better visibility of their energy usage and spending. We believe that every household in the UK would benefit from leaving direct debits behind and giving Smart+ PAYG a try.
"Now that the prepayment price cap has been equalised to the direct debit price cap, there’s no better time to invite savvy households to give it a go.”
The supplier’s free ‘My Utilita’ app is currently being used by more than two-thirds of its customers, who enjoy the benefits of instant top-ups and access to real-time energy usage data.
Dave Angel comments on his role in the campaign: "I’m talking about looking after your pocket and this beautiful planet we call home. Follow mine and Utilita’s advice ’coz it’s a damned good place to start!
“I said it many years ago, ‘The world’s still turning, but we’re not learning’ and, quite frankly, I’m gutted that here we are, 25 years later, and still bleating on about changes we need to make.
“So, I’m talking to you brothers and sisters - and I’m asking you to make a change. Remember, the cheapest, greenest energy is the energy we don’t use. When you can see, you can save.”
Utilita’s biggest campaign to date can be found at www.utilita.co.uk/savelikedave.
