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Phoenix Rising: Trust Reborn

crisis & issues management
reputation management

PG&E Reclaims Public Trust and Rebuilds Reputation During a Critical Moment of Change

The Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) produces power for more than 5 million people all across California. But this storied power provider came under fire — somewhat literally — for faulty equipment, which spiraled into much bigger problems. With some help from Highwire PR, PG&E regained public trust and reestablished its good name.

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The Challenge

After a series of devastating wildfires swept through California, investigators discovered that, in dozens of cases, PG&E equipment was to blame. Between legal challenges and customer backlash, the company lost money rapidly. By the following year, PG&E had filed for bankruptcy. Although the company eventually became profitable again, its reputation had taken a huge hit. To rebuild its relationship with the general public, PG&E needed to send a compelling message. The company had harmed the people it was supposed to serve — and now, PG&E was going to make things right.
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The Solution

Before the wildfires, customers saw PG&E as a reliable utility provider with a long, rich history. Highwire’s goal was to reinstate that image. The post-bankruptcy PG&E could not be just another electricity company. It would have to be a leader in the utilities industry, promoting innovative ideas and embracing novel solutions. At the same time, PG&E would have to reaffirm its century-old mission: “delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy.”

First, Highwire helped PG&E place articles in top-tier publications in both traditional and non-traditional media. Axios, Forbes, Fortune, Fast Company, Wired, and other outlets published dozens of stories discussing how the company had shifted its policies after recovering from bankruptcy. These pieces highlighted PG&E’s advancements in fire safety, such as reducing wildfire risk from its equipment by 94%.

Readers began to understand how the company’s past missteps shaped its present ethos. Public perception of PG&E slowly but surely became more positive. Over the course of the campaign, PG&E saw a 30% stock increase, as well as the largest leap in customer satisfaction among major utility companies.

Highwire also helped PG&E arrange and promote its Innovation Summit. This event drew extensive media interest and engagement on a national level. Now, the whole country — not just California — knew about PG&E’s efforts to reinvent itself. The Innovation Summit is now a yearly event where scientists, policymakers, and business leaders meet to discuss the future of energy technology.

Today, PG&E is once again one of the most successful and respected utility providers in the United States.

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The Results

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Secured 84 news articles and more than 180 syndications for the PG&E Innovation Summit

2024

In 2024, PG&E won the Fast Company World Changing Ideas Award 

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