As heating oil and natural gas prices rise, the Alliance to Save Energy has taken "$ticker $hock" over high energy prices to a "Shocking" new level with its humorous new TV and radio campaign which focuses on consumer angst over energy bills and solutions to easily reduce both energy bills and pollution.

Titled "Static Electricity House," the television public service advertisements (PSAs) highlight a family's wild experiment to deal with high energy prices by powering their home with static electricity. It requires all family members, including the dog, to keep rubbing their wool socks on the carpeting to keep lights on and power functioning.

But that approach has many humorous drawbacks - from a burning carpet to having all their hair stand on end. There are many other "shocks" in the process. And then, of course, a wool sock clings to the back of the dad's jacket as he goes off to work, briefcase in hand.

But the family discovers they didn't have to go to such extremes when simple energy efficiency approaches and ENERGY STAR-labeled products (symbol for energy efficiency) are better solutions to reduce their energy prices, energy use, and pollution.

In "Big Shock," the radio public service spots, first the husband keels over and then the wife when they open their home energy bill. In addition, the Alliance is re-releasing its popular radio spots by the Beach Boys to the tune of "Summer in Paradise."

This campaign builds upon the success of the last award-winning Alliance PSA campaign in 1998-99 when TV stations aired the Alliance spots more than 31,000 times - including 19 of the top 20 TV markets plus television network broadcasts on two hit primetime shows. Radio stations in 180 cities in 45 states aired earlier Alliance radio spots.

The advertising agency that produced the Budweiser frogs and hot and much-quoted "Wha-a-a-s-s-s Up" (What's Up) TV commercials, DDB, has produced the new humorous TV and radio public service advertisements (PSAs) for the Alliance to Save Energy which will be distributed to stations in December and offer viewers and listeners a free consumer booklet, Power$mart: Easy Tips to Save Money and the Planet.

Alliance funding partners for the PSAs and a broader multimedia campaign bring together federal and state government and industry — the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), New York State Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), Pacific Gas and Electric Company, and the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA).