"Lacking Power, Not Purpose"
Octopus Energy efficiently take the right amount of time to tell an important and far-reaching story of power in this short 5-minute documentary. Produced in partnership with Brighton-based charity Renewable World, who work to promote wider access to green energy for those living below the poverty line, this film follows the trail of that extra little fee some 'supergreen' customers opt to pay.
Octopus Energy's commissioning of a piece that spotlights their involvement in bringing solar power to rural communities in Kenya might seem a no-brainer for any utility company that might be keen for a simple piece of good PR. But oftentimes it is a brand's eagerness to churn such films out at a regular pace that betray it, ultimately making these films feel rather gaunt. Their messaging stretched and thin.
In this case, however, we're pleasantly surprised to find Octopus Energy in no rush to rapidly turn the sugar handle on the inhabitants of Kajiado County, where community elders who once relied on underpowered medical centres now volunteer in them. Instead, they opt to focus on those for whom solar transition has become an absolute need. For these settlements, spread as widely as they are, sustainable and consistent energy can effect everything from education to healthcare. Naturally, topics like these must be allowed to narratively breathe lest they fall into gimmick. Which this film is not.
