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Tens of thousands of lightbulb moments in big Waikato LED giveaway

  • silvereyecomms
  • Mar 21
  • 2 min read

Updated: Aug 21

Waikato Times

Stephen Ward


The switch was flicked and the people turned on to new light bulbs in their

hundreds.


Waikato Genesis Energy customers are the first involved in the national

company’s popular new promotion giving away up to 47,000 energy-

saving LED lightbulbs locally.


The Genesis Waikato giveaway, in conjunction with Ecobulb, of up to five

light-emitting diode bulbs per customer started at Te Rapa racecourse and

the Ruakura Activate Church in Hamilton East on Friday. Five bulbs are

worth as much as $70 at retail prices.


The give away will carry on at the two sites on Saturday, and customers can

also collect free bulbs then from the Te Awamutu Events Centre and

Cambridge’s Raliegh St Christian Centre.


Waikato was the first region out of the blocks with a number of other

regions due to have similar promotions in coming weeks.


Up to 47,000 free LED bulbs are being given away by Genesis in the Waikato region, the first to take part in the promotion.


Doors were due to open at 9am at Te Rapa on Friday but Genesis staff said

people started showing up at 8.30am. There was a steady stream of mostly

older customers when the Waikato Times visited.


Mike Sorensen of Dinsdale was very happy with the five bulbs he picked up.

“It’s good timing actually. I’ve got two empty sockets at home.”

He already had an LED bulb in his lounge which went well, he said.


Besides the giveaway helping save on bulb costs, Genesis says use of the

five free bulbs could see power price savings of up to $970 in a household

over 10 years.


A steady stream of Genesis customers were pitching up at the Te Rapa racecourse to take advantage of the free LED lightbulbs giveaway. It’s due to carry on there on Saturday and at three other sites in Hamilton, Cambridge and Te Awamutu.


A Genesis marketing specialist Taachin Hakansson said the promotion was

in part about promoting efficient energy use.


“There’s a big difference in energy savings with these bulbs,” she said on

Friday.


The bulbs could last 50 times longer than older-style incandescent bulbs

and have a decades-long lifespan, a Genesis statement said.


The retail price of the LED bulbs could be as much as $14, meaning

potential customer savings of up to $70 through getting five free, Genesis

staff said.


Information had gone out beforehand to customers about the different

types of bulbs available at the giveaway so they would know the right free

ones to ask for, Hakansson said.


It was also estimated that Hamilton customers could collectively save up to

$1 million on their power bills over three years as a result of the giveaway.



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