Ava

Ava, one of California’s largest Community Choice Aggregators, and a public company, is committed to helping communities gain access to clean, affordable energy. Today, Ava delivers power to over 1.7M people and is predicted to generate nearly $25M in savings to these customers during their ‘23-’24 fiscal year.

Ava’s programs make it easier for households, business owners, and cities to lower energy costs, upgrade systems and appliances, and prevent power outages. We worked alongside their team and broader community stakeholders to articulate an evolved brand positioning, name, and identity system that supports rapid growth and signals leadership in the clean energy transition. 

The redesigned brand system guides a wider public towards an approach to energy usage that builds more vibrant and sustainable communities. Ultimately becoming more affordable, cleaner, and healthier for those who switch from traditional utilities. The brand transforms energy from an often overlooked utility into an opportunity to grow and create — a smarter home, a future-proofed business, a city that flourishes.

The previous name, East Bay Community Electric (EBCE), spoke to an authentic origin story and intention but risked alienating customers in their expanding service geographies. The new name, Ava, is about welcoming new customers— from Alameda to the Valley—and offers a more emotive, memorable, and scalable platform from which to foster growth. 

Ava’s new brand overcomes the tropes and stigmas associated with environmentally conscious offerings by avoiding greenwashing or asking their customers to make sacrifices. Rather, the brand evokes a hopeful, inspirational, and accessible near-term reality — embodied by candid photography highlighting relatable narratives and delightful illustrations that unpack otherwise uninteresting or complex topics. A bright, highly differentiated palette within Ava’s category creates distinct signal power – offering a hopeful backdrop to a clear, actionable, and inspiring messaging platform – flexible enough to appeal to residential customers, commercial owners, and municipal partners equally.