This Solar Panel Company Is Working With Influencers to Demystify Residential Solar

While influencer marketing might bring to mind visions of unboxing videos, beauty product demos and clothing hauls, solar company SunPower wants the relatability and accessibility of creators to help people decide on a bigger purchase: residential solar.

Working with sustainability expert and content creator Shelby Orme, also known by her social handle @Shelbizleee, SunPower wants to help homeowners navigate the complex landscape of rebates, tax breaks and financing options available for those ready to start generating clean energy with their roofs.

“There is widespread, positive sentiment around residential solar,” Suzanne Leta, head of policy and strategy at SunPower, told Adweek. “Yet there is widespread lack of understanding regarding how it works—the benefits and the direct incentives for consumers in order to get better access to it.”

Shedding light on solar

SunPower first connected with eco-influencers earlier this year, part of a new marketing strategy put in motion by former chief marketer, June Sauvaget.

Sauvaget’s strategy centers on bringing the human aspect of solar to the forefront of the brand—focusing on the opportunities for energy independence in some markets while highlighting the benefits of clean energy for families and future generations in others. In practice, this has meant more lifestyle imagery in place of aerial shots of solar panels, and partnerships with TV networks and creators to give homeowners a more intimate understanding of residential solar’s benefits.

“We have to meet people where they are,” Leta said. “More than 50% of Americans don’t know that the Inflation Reduction Act includes an energy-related tax break, and that includes a full third of Gen Z respondents who really care about the environment.”

The Inflation Reduction Act, which was signed into law on Aug. 16, 2022, increased the federal tax rebate to 30% for homeowners adding solar between 2022 and 2032. There are sometimes local rebates as well—in Orme’s case, her local energy utility offered an immediate $2,500 rebate, which she walks followers through in an 18-minute YouTube video answering all the questions she’s received since announcing on social that she was switching to solar.

Banking on green cred

On top of the industry’s baseline complexities, there are solar scams to watch out for. Homeowners also run the risk of choosing a company in this fast-growing market that then goes out of business, leaving the buyer with orphaned solar panels that other companies may be unwilling to service.

While SunPower offers different options for financing, many of which require little upfront, solar is still a long-term commitment. The brand is betting that the decision will be easier for homeowners after watching Orme’s content.

“The way I run my platform, I’m not churning out content constantly telling people to buy things,” Orme told Adweek, explaining that she’s highly selective with her brand deals. She’s never worked with a clothing company, for example, instead urging her over 500,000 followers to buy secondhand.

With a degree in environmental science and years of experience as a sustainability focused creator, she brings a level of expertise to her followers that they seem to trust—asking questions in the comments and for advice on different green swaps they’re thinking of making.

“Influencer marketing works best when the influencer has expertise in the area that they are discussing,” Richard Hanna, marketing professor at Babson College, told Adweek. “For a product like this, the influencer can simplify the message for the brand and help make something that seems scary or expensive, the way solar is perceived by many, be approachable and affordable.”

The shadow over solar

SunPower doesn’t yet have metrics to share on the success of Orme’s content, which went live last week. A spokesperson told Adweek that, anecdotally, the videos have outperformed expectations and increased positive brand sentiment. SunPower plans to expand influencer marketing efforts throughout the year.

High-interest rates and slower-than-expected regional demand have challenged SunPower’s outlook this year, though—leading to an updated forecast and 14% drop in stock price last week.

Still, Leta is confident that as consumers learn about the opportunities that the IRA and financial products that are available to them, and as energy prices continue to rise, the company will see more solar adoption—boosted, hopefully, by content like Orme’s.

“There’s a huge opportunity to improve Americans’ understanding of what’s accessible to them,” Leta said.