• by Karl Greenberg , March 16, 2007

Premium appliance maker Bosch is branding itself green to promote the energy-efficiency of its machines, with a sustainability message.

The company has launched a promotional program running through the month, and again this summer, which includes a brand visual -- a photo of a rain forest frog.

Bosch, which reports that it is the only manufacturer to have both Energy Star DOE (Department of Energy) and EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) ratings for all of its appliances, has inked deals with several regional utility companies to time its rebate with theirs and promote them both.

The effort includes in-store signage at Sears, Lowe's and independent retailers, plus PR, print advertising, and a new Web site within BoschAppliances.com promoting Bosch's "Green Savings Event." While Bosch is pitching a $100 rebate for its front-loading Nexxt Washers, the rebate climbs to as high as $275 when combined with local utility company offers.

The six major utility companies tying in with the promotion include the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, National Grid Massachusetts, Rocky Mountain Power, Pacific Power and Seattle City Light.

"The idea was to lay the two different rebate programs on top of each other so they would have maximum impact," says Danyel Tiefenbacher, brand manager for Bosch, a division of Huntington Beach, Calif.-based BSH Home Appliances. He explained that Bosch spoke to utilities offering rebates to consumers who buy Energy Star products. A point-of-purchase sticker calls out both Bosch and utility company rebates.

Tiefenbacher said it was a challenge to get the utility companies to the table. "Tying in with utilities was an undertaking; I asked the [U.S.] Department of Energy to set up a conference call in my name and during that call I addressed reps from all the utility companies. It's an elaborate administrative effort because it requires approvals from all the companies just for the stickers."

The online Green Resource Center includes separate Web sites for consumers and contractors. The consumer site has an interactive feature demonstrating water and energy impact on the environment from the use of washing machines; the other is a microsite that shows builders how to get national or regional Green Building Certification for their projects.

Tiefenbacher says the company will repeat the program from May until mid-June using the frog imagery, but in a different environment.

Editor's note: This article has been edited since publication to correct an error.