• by Aaron Baar , July 22, 2017

While there are many complaints about technology eroding society (attention deficit, poor manners, etc.), it also has the power to fundamentally change lives. In a new ad, Siemens USA is telling the story of how its products and services have done exactly that for Blue Lake Rancheria, a Native American tribe in Northern California. 

In a video from its “Ingenuity for Life,” campaign, the German company shows how its microgram technology is helping the 100-year-old reservation become energy independent. The video demonstrates how the technology helps the tribe secure its place for future generations through decentralized systems that don’t rely on the existing power grid.

The video opens with the Native American proverb: “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors. We borrow it from our children.” It then goes on to explain how tribe members have lived on the land for generations, and their obligation to take care of it. It also explains the importance of maintaining independence with clean, sustainable energy. 

“We want to show technology in a human context,” Christina Bauer, head of Siemens brand and advertising in the U.S., tells Marketing Daily. “Our technology helps Blue Lake Rancheria act independently. They’re all about protecting the environment for future generations.”

While only telling the story of one tribe, the video, which is part of the company’s “Ingenuity for Life” campaign, is meant to highlight how Siemens’ products can be used to help other communities in similar situations. In a blog post about the campaign, the company notes that “aging infrastructure, demand peaks and cyber- or weather-related threats” are forcing organizations to reconsider how they “control, generate and regulate power.”

“They’re a shining example of our on-site power portfolio,” Bauer says. “Everyone is looking for ways to protect their infrastructure. Blue Lake Rancheria is a shining example of that."

Targeting members of the C-suite, the campaign will be running mostly online, on news and business sites, and will be complemented with a smaller print campaign, Bauer says.