EDF Energy Continues Brighton Pride Support

EDF Energy played a key role in this year’s Brighton Pride, with over one hundred of its employees joining the parade.

EDF Energy entered a karaoke mega-bus into the parade on Saturday, playing much-loved songs and adorned with large LCD screens displaying the lyrics. 

Wireless microphones allowed members of the public to join in with the singing as the float passed by and members of staff danced and sang along as they handed out goodies to spectators.  

EDF Energy’s communications agency, Wunderman, designed the karaoke-themed bus and created an integrated social media and direct marketing campaign in the run up to the event.

The songs played to the crowds from the bus were chosen by members of EDF Energy’s Inspire: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Supporters Network and were all linked to the Pride theme of ‘icons’. They included Dolly Parton’s ‘9 to 5’, Beyonce’s ‘Single Ladies’ and Queen’s ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’. 

Prior to the event, EDF Energy hosted a karaoke-themed social media competition, with 30 winners each receiving a pair of tickets to the ‘Icons in the Park’ Brighton Pride Party on Saturday. 

Details of the competition were listed on drinks coasters created in the shape of the company’s popular orange mascot character ‘Zingy’, which were distributed to more than 100 bars, cafes and music venues across Brighton and London. Participants were asked to tweet a photo of themselves in their most creative ‘singing pose’ using the hash-tag #SingwithZingy.   

Matt Batten, Wunderman's Chief Creative Officer, said: "The giant mobile karaoke screen was a hit with the parade-goers. The streets literally sang with classic tunes to Zingy's beat. EDF Energy truly created a great mood amongst the crowd."

EDF Energy has supported Brighton Pride for three years and is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion to its 15,000 employees nationwide, including the 2,500 who are based in East and West Sussex.  

The company’s Diversity and Inclusion initiatives are multi-award winning. EDF Energy was recently announced as the Overall Winner of the Private Sector at the Employers Network for Equality and Inclusion. The energy company was also one of only four companies nationwide to receive the ‘Diversity Works for London Gold Standard’ in 2012.

For more information on Brighton Pride visit: http://brighton-pride.org