How Geneco has built a market-leading brand through purpose

This post is sponsored by Geneco.

If a brand disappeared tomorrow, what will its customers and broader community remember about it?

In an industry closely measured by clicks, conversions, and cost-efficiency, brand purpose is often challenged when it comes to business prioritisation.

Yet when Geneco entered Singapore’s liberalised electricity market in 2018, purpose became one of its strongest key differentiators. After all, convincing households to break decades-old habits and switch away from legacy providers was never going to be accomplished through price alone.

For Alex Chan, Geneco’s head of brand, communications and marketing, it was essential to build something bigger than the product. “It was about building a brand people actually want to choose, stay with, and grow to love,” he says. The inspiration was #PowerTheChange – its brand purpose that has been shaping Geneco’s strategic approach ever since.

Eight years on, its commitment has paid off. As of 1 April 2026, Geneco remains Singapore’s largest residential electricity retailer – a title it has held since 2022 – holding a 29.5% share of the residential electricity market with over 175,000 households. It is a position few would have predicted for a newly launched retail electricity brand then, amidst other much longer established companies.

“#PowerTheChange was never intended to be a one-off campaign,” Chan says. “It is our brand’s north star that has shaped everything we have done thereafter.”

Building a brand beyond the campaign

#PowerTheChange is beyond switching electricity providers. It also means powering change within every family, whether through sustainability initiatives or social causes to make the nation a brighter home for all.

For many brands, it may be enticing to use attention-grabbing concepts: a new trend, stunt or newsjacking in the hope of a marketing breakthrough. Geneco took the opposite stance: commit to a purpose and let everything else fall into place.

Rather than reinventing the script with every campaign, Geneco was consistently dedicated to its purpose through different cultural or significant moments, grounding each initiative in real human stories.

The Chinese New Year celebrates the next generation by guiding them to be their own stewards. Its anniversary campaign spotlights the importance of sustainability through a 10-year tree-planting promise. National Day opens doors to conversations around youth mental wellbeing. And as the year draws to a close, the festive season focuses on second chances for families from all walks of life.

Maintaining a commitment to purpose is harder than it sounds. The pressure to outdo previous campaigns can tempt most brands to chase momentary relevance at the expense of authenticity.

For Geneco, the method has been to treat purpose as the constant and the campaigns as the creative expression of it. While each campaign brings new faces and fresh stories, they all stem from the same root. The stories evolve, but the reason for telling them stays the same.

This consistency extends beyond campaigns ideas. Rather than seeking a new cause or community partner each year, Geneco has continued to work with many of the same organisations over time, choosing to deepen long-term relationships and create sustained impact with a steady growing momentum, instead of pursuing novelty.

In turn, this heart of dedication has also earned recognition from both community partners and the marketing industry.

At the recent Yellow Ribbon Project Appreciation & Awards Ceremony 2026, Geneco received the Pinnacle Award, the highest recognition presented to a private sector organisation.

Presenting the award, Senior Minister of State Sim Ann said: “What strikes me most is how Geneco saw beyond the labels. They did not just see ‘ex-offenders’ or ‘inmates’. They saw artists, craftspeople, and human beings deserving of a second chance. In doing so, they demonstrated that corporate purpose need not just be about making profits, but importantly about using your platform to lift others up, to do good.”

This ceremony was closely followed by the Home Team National Day Observance Ceremony 2026, where Geneco received the Minister for Home Affairs National Day Award (Home Team Partners) – Organisation (Merit) Award, acknowledging its outstanding collaboration and contributions to the rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates and ex-offenders, as well as the advocacy of the Yellow Ribbon movement.

Likewise, the marketing industry also recognised the value of Geneco’s purpose-driven initiatives. At MARKETING-INTERACTIVE’s Hashtag Asia Awards 2026, Geneco received gold, silver, and bronze all in the Best Use of Cause Marketing in the Social Media Campaign category, amongst its six awards, an affirmation of its #PowerTheChange commitment.

Still, favourable market conditions often make purpose easier to champion. The real question lies in whether brands remain committed to their values when customers need tangible support most, not just an emotional connection to the brand.

When values are put to the test

With global supply disruptions recently driving Singapore's Q2 electricity and gas tariffs to record highs, consumers were left grappling with unprecedented electricity costs. It was in this volatile environment that Geneco’s commitment to its communities was truly put to the test.

Rather than leaving households to weather the storm alone, the retailer translated its purpose into practical action.

Instead of moving in tandem with the record-high regulated tariff, Geneco sought to provide Singaporeans with greater certainty when they needed it most by reversing the norm – lowering its electricity rates and even increasing its bill rebates of up to S$200 for new customers.

“In times like this, the better question is not how high prices can go, but how much more value we can bring to customers,” Chan says. “Leadership is not just about being chosen by more customers. It is about choosing to stand with them when it matters most.”

Eight years on, #PowerTheChange continues to guide Geneco’s growth and purpose. At its core is a belief that long-term brand success comes from living out its commitment consistently – both in words and in actions.