Super Heroes Take Manhattan!!! NYSERDA Energy-Efficiency Super Powers PSAs Get 'Super' Exposure in Times Square

Super Heroes Take Manhattan!!! NYSERDA Energy-Efficiency Super Powers PSAs Get 'Super' Exposure in Times Square

-- www.GetEnergySmart.org --

ALBANY, N.Y., Dec. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- First it was King Kong on the Empire State Building, and now it's Super Heroes on the Panasonic Astrovision board in Times Square!!! But rather than kidnapping a fair maiden, this super-sized live action figure is helping New York consumers save money on their energy bills and help the nation reduce its energy use through energy efficiency.

The larger-than-life TV spot is a variation of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority's (NYSERDA) Super Powers public service ads (PSAs) now airing on New York TV and radio stations. In contrast to the over- the-top approaches of the Super Hero family that have undesirable repercussions, the PSA shows neighbor Bob using his own energy-saving "super powers" more successfully -- by using, for example, products with the ENERGY STAR label (symbol of energy efficiency).

Reedited for the big screen to work without sound, the Times Square Super Powers combines the written word with live-action of a Super Hero in tights "cooking" a turkey with laser-vision glasses to get the message across. As the dish towel catches fire, the PSA illustrates: "You don't have to be a Super Hero to save energy and money. Discover your own energy-saving Super Powers... and help the nation."

"This is a light-hearted approach to capture people's attention that you don't have to be a Super Hero to save energy," said NYSERDA President Peter R. Smith. "NYSERDA encourages all New Yorkers to be super heroes by looking for the ENERGY STAR label when buying new appliances or replacing old, inefficient appliances and products to help reduce their energy costs this winter, as well as throughout the year."

The customized New York PSA is in rotation with a national version developed by the Alliance to Save Energy, a Washington D.C., based nonprofit that promotes energy efficiency worldwide to benefit consumers, the economy, the environment, and national security. The PSA directs viewers to two web sites -- http://www.getenergysmart.org/ and http://www.ase.org/consumers. The New York and national Super Powers PSAs are playing in rotation on the Panasonic board twice every hour through mid-December for a total of 9,600 times and a donated media value of more than $100,000.

The Alliance notes that the PSA is particularly timely with winter energy prices reaching record levels as the holiday season approaches because "energy efficiency is the 'gift that keeps on giving' by delivering lower home energy bills, increased comfort, and reduced pollution year after year."

Save Energy

Source: New York State Energy Research and Development Authority; Alliance to

CONTACT: Colleen Ryan of New York State Energy Research and Development
Authority, +1-518-862-1090 ext. 3359, cqr@nyserda.org; or Ronnie Kweller of
Alliance to Save Energy, +1-202-530-2203, rkweller@ase.org

Web site: http://www.ase.org/
http://www.getenergysmart.org/

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