Tombigbee Electric Power Association (EPA)
Tombigbee Electric Power Association has served rural Mississippi communities for years by providing reliable power and internet services. As internet access becomes more important in everyday life, Tombigbee looked for new ways to give their community more value from their connection, not just at home but around town.
Through Pinnacle Marketing Group’s partnership with Calix, Tombigbee became the first broadband service provider to launch Smart Town. This community-wide internet initiative allows residents to tap into their home Wi-Fi from locations throughout town.
Partner: Calix
Services: Advertising, Graphic Design, Social Media Marketing, and Online Advertising
The Challenge
Smart Town was something brand new.
Because it had never been done before, there were no examples to follow or ready-made materials to explain it. This made it especially important to communicate the idea clearly, particularly in a rural community where the concept needed to feel practical, helpful, and easy to understand.
At the same time, the campaign needed to be built so other internet providers could use it as well. All Smart Town materials were created for Calix’s Electronic Content Builder, a tool that helps providers launch ready-to-use marketing campaigns.
Advertising
Email Blasts and Social That Work Together
The Strategy
Pinnacle worked closely with Calix to create a simple, easy-to-follow marketing approach that introduced Smart Town in a way people could immediately understand.
Pinnacle developed a full set of campaign materials designed to educate and engage the community, including:
- Email newsletters explaining what Smart Town is and how it works
- How-to guides showing residents how to connect
- Flyers and brochures for local distribution
- Custom graphics and social media visuals
- Creative assets to support the public launch
Smart Town was first introduced at a community park event, giving residents an easy way to learn about the idea. Soon after, the program expanded to local high school football games, where it reached even more people. From there, residents could access their home Wi-Fi networks from locations around town, bringing reliable internet into public spaces for the first time.
Landing Page
Made to Make It Easy
Expanding the Impact
After Smart Town launched successfully, Tombigbee was able to build on the momentum with additional campaigns focused on specific community needs, including:
- First responders
- Farmers
- Local churches
Each campaign shared the same message. Internet access is not just something you use at home. It is a tool that supports the entire community.
Outdoor Signage
Bringing their brand on the road.
The Results
Smart Town became a major step forward for Tombigbee and showed how new internet initiatives can succeed in rural areas when they are explained clearly and introduced locally.
The campaign delivered strong results:
- Clear understanding: Residents knew what Smart Town was and how to use it
- High local engagement: The public launch helped build awareness and excitement
- Repeatable success: The campaign could be reused by other Calix customers
- Room to grow: Smart Town created opportunities for future community-focused campaigns
A Partnership Built for Growth
This project highlights the value of Pinnacle Marketing Group’s partnership with Calix. By working together to build ready-to-use campaigns inside Calix’s Electronic Content Builder, Pinnacle helps internet providers bring new ideas to market faster and more effectively.
In simple terms, Calix provides the platform and programs. Pinnacle creates the messaging. Providers like Tombigbee gain tools that help them better serve their communities.