NYOHA Launches Bioheat® NYC Campaign

On October 15, the New York Oil Heating Association (NYOHA) unveiled a new consumer awareness and education campaign aimed at teaching New York City residents about the benefits of biofuel-blended heating oil, better known as Bioheat® fuel. As New York City requires all heating oil to contain a minimum of 5% biodiesel, virtually all heating oil sold in the City and used by its residents is Bioheat fuel. The campaign tagline, “Leading The Nation In Clean, Safe Home Heating,” references New York City’s role as a forerunner in the adoption of environmentally secure biofuel blends, as well as Bioheat fuel’s status as the cleanest, safest heating fuel available in the U.S.

According to the NYOHA website, “The new campaign will promote the benefits of Bioheat fuel, the advantages and savings that come from upgrading outdated heating equipment, the positive environmental impact that Bioheat fuel has on our city and the many other services offered by New York City Bioheat fuel dealers.” To spread this message, the campaign leverages numerous media platforms, including the new BioheatNYC.com website, bus billboard advertising, internet display advertising, search engine advertising, BioheatNYC Facebook and Twitter pages, blog posts, newsletters, and more. The campaign has been sponsored by the National Oilheat Research Alliance (NORA) and developed by NYOHA marketing-communications partner PriMedia, Inc.

“Because New York City is a leader in urban sustainability, we wanted to launch a campaign that would educate New Yorkers about the important but often unseen role that Bioheat fuel dealers play in helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, making the City cleaner and safer for everyone,” said NYOHA CEO Rocco Lacertosa.

It is estimated that 700,000 homes in New York City depend on B5 Bioheat fuel, and that its citywide use reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 200,000 metric tons per year, the equivalent of removing 45,000 cars from the road.

“We turned to Rich Rutigliano, John Bruno, and the team at PriMedia, because they’ve been helping us get the word out about Bioheat fuel from the very beginning,” Lacertosa continued. “In addition to developing the Upgrade & Save NYC rebate program, they were with us when the B2 legislation passed under Mayor Bloomberg, as well as when we made the move up to B5 under Mayor de Blasio. Plus, they’re lifelong New Yorkers themselves, with backgrounds in the heating oil and advertising industries, so they understand the lifestyle here and how to bring our message to a diverse audience.”

“The challenge in painting with broad brushstrokes is capturing all the little details that make the picture truly complete,” said PriMedia Creative Director John Bruno. “One way we accomplished this was by homing in on the many different lifestyle benefits that Bioheat fuel affords New Yorkers. Practically speaking, everyone knows our cost of living is high, so being able to save hundreds of dollars through the New York Clean Heating Fuel Credit or the Upgrade & Save New York City Energy Efficiency and Safety Rebate Program is something any New Yorker can appreciate.”

New York State offers residents a tax credit of $.06 to $.20 for every gallon of B6 to B20 purchased during a calendar year. The NORA-sponsored Upgrade & Save NYC program provides New Yorkers up to $700 back when they install higher-efficiency oil-fired furnaces, boilers, burners and controls, and/or a new aboveground oil storage tank.

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