Opower is a company that uses old fashion subtle peer pressure techniques to get people to use less energy. It just recently went IPO this week  and its success follows failed attempts by both Google and Microsoft to generate similar consumer outcomes.

Basically Opower has implemented many of Robert Cialdini behavior changing techniques. The key magic is a paper statement to each household 1) comparing the house’s energy consumption with the community’s average and 2) giving a simple grade assessing your energy consumption made of smiley faces.

http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/the_efficient_planet/2013/03/opower_using_smiley_faces_and_peer_pressure_to_save_the_planet.html