In this case, Ohio Edison was the utility that was apologizing. The ad ran in the Journal back on July 12, 1971.
Back in July 1971, the area had just experienced a massive heatwave, resulting in some widespread power outages.
As the ad notes, “Heat records were broken day after day. More than 50 neighborhood distribution transformers failed in our Lake Erie Division alone because of being overloaded. These overloads were caused by the effect on these transformers of the combination of intense heat and your greater use of electricity, perhaps for air conditioning units or electric fans.
“We know it is small consolation to know that our customers on the average have dependable electric service 99.9% of the time. We’d like to make it 100%, but that isn’t yet possible. And when outages do occur your cooperation, your patience and your understanding are greatly appreciated.”
It’s a well-written ad, subtilely pointing out that consumers did share a wee bit of the blame.
Our old pal Reddy Kilowatt looks pretty remorseful. I’m not sure whether he’s crying or sweating. The sun – drawn in a rather menacing style – is obviously depicted as the villain in this case.
Anyway, in the 2020s we seem to lose power a lot. The difference from fifty years ago is you never find out why.
And Reddy’s retired, so he can’t even say he’s sorry.
3 comments:
Ah, for the good old days, when I could walk down to Ohio Edison on the NE corner of 8th and Broadway, and put "a little somethin'" on " the light bill" if we couldn't pay it all at once.
Back then, Councilman Barden had his office right behind OE, and he'd help people get their utilities paid.
That’s a nice memory, Alan.
Besides Ohio Edison not having a local office anymore, I also miss the days when the Lorain Telephone Company was downtown, you could actually call them on the phone, stop in to pay a bill or even buy a telephone there. Now the best way to contact CenturyLink (the phone company’s successor) is to do the ‘chat’ thing online. Last week the landlines were down at our condo, so I contacted CenturyLink via chat. The best thing they could do was promise to send a repairman in about five days!
Yes.And these companies have the gall to act like you are the ones who are inconveniencing them.Like why are you,the customer,bothering us?We will get someone out whenever we want to get someone out.Not whenever it is convenient for you(which is like right now).Then on top of that they have a little hike in the bill here,a little hike in the bill there.They days when companies cared for its customers have long since passed.They take customers for granted now.And the politicians allow this as shown with the 60 million dollar Ohio Republican Larry Householder scandal a few years back.The system is favored for the rich.
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