By weaving heat pump adoption into an Emmerdale storyline - and amplifying it with a contextual ad - ITV & OmniGov @ MGOMD turned scripted fiction into real-world impact. Viewers saw trusted character Dr Cavanagh make the switch, and they followed: searches doubled, and belief in heat pumps as a credible option soared.

Cool content, for a hot issue.

A little background

The UK is legally bound to reach net zero by 2050, and two thirds of the required carbon cuts must come from changes in citizen behaviour: eating less meat, travelling greener, and switching to renewable energy - like installing a heat pump.

But behaviour change is tough, especially when it involves spending around £5,000 (even with a government grant), working out if a heat pumps help, dealing with installation upheaval, and tuning out online misinformation about heat pumps and the climate crisis.

Our insight

It’s always tempting to focus on the ‘crisis’ when it comes to climate change. But after years of applying our COP26 Climate Content Pledge, we know that’s not what lands with ITV viewers.

Subtle, character-led climate storylines and the trust in our shows have far more impact. Behavioural science shows ITV excels at ‘normalising’ behaviours - making them feel acceptable and popular for mainstream audiences.

The big idea

We’d use the authenticity, scale and storytelling power of one of our most loved shows - Emmerdale - to help demystify heat pumps.

By integrating a newly installed heat pump into an existing character arc and surrounding it with contextual and social content, we’d build a joined-up campaign rooted in content. The goal? To reach the mainstream by aligning our messaging with Emmerdale’s editorial tone and emotional world.

Making it happen

The campaign centred on three content-driven elements: storyline integration, a contextual ad and social content via Emmerdale’s channels.

Storyline Integration: In two episodes, viewers saw a natural editorial mention of a heat pump being fitted at Dr Liam Cavanagh’s home - part of his ongoing journey into climate awareness, influenced by his daughter.

Contextual Ad: This in-show moment was followed by a contextual TV spot, voiced by former Emmerdale cast member John Middleton and filmed on set. It explained how heat pumps work and promoted the government’s grant scheme.

Co-branding with ITV’s environmental initiative ‘Project Planet’ added further trust.

Finally, social content across @emmerdale’s platforms fronted by Jonny McPherson (who plays Dr. Liam Cavanagh) took viewers behind the scenes to meet ‘the new resident’ - the now infamous heat pump!

This content was designed to appeal to Emmerdale’s highly engaged fan community, breaking the ‘fourth wall’ and harnessing the ‘messenger effect’ to add further credibility to the heat pump message.

The results

For a small campaign, the campaign punched well above its weight - a testament to the power of content to change behaviour. Highlights include:

• Twice as many viewers (66%) as non-viewers (32%) believe heat pumps are a credible heating alternative (Source: Savanta)

• Viewers are twice as likely as non-viewers to consider installing one (62% vs 28%)

Searches for ‘heat pumps’ doubled on the days of editorial broadcast (Source: Google Trends)

Best Use of Content: Under £250k