NRG Energy + UserTesting

Introducing Hugo

One critical area where UserTesting helped Reliant involved the creation of their popular mascot, Hugo. Test participants liked the idea of Hugo and his Texan heritage as an armadillo, but they found his early designs to be a little too lifelike. 

Pam Roper, Senior Manager, Consumer Insights at NRG Home, says, “We did some preliminary research within UserTesting, exposing test participants to an early rendering of Hugo. They suggested that he could be a little less realistic and more cartoonish (with larger eyes). With the help of our creative teams, that made him more adorable–and more approachable.”

Advertising impact

Reliant also refined one of their most effective ads to date using feedback from UserTesting. Their “Agent Hugo” ad, which features Hugo as a secret agent wearing a tuxedo, made special offers of energy packages to customers. When Reliant evaluated an initial version, they found that test participants struggled to follow the storyline and understand the offers. This led to critical editing decisions that improved results.

Eleana Johnson, Director, Reliant Brand Advertising at NRG Home, explains the results. “This feedback helped our teams to make refinements before launch. The Agent Hugo ad then went on to score 19% higher than the ad we tested from our competitor.”