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Getting the Word Out to Click Before You Dig
Safety – underground and overhead
It’s cold outside, the ground is frozen, so Alberta One-Call is gearing up for spring.
We’re planning promotion and advertising to remind homeowners, contractors, farmers the importance of clicking to know what’s beneath you before any project requiring a ground disturbance.
And this year we’re excited to include messaging for the Where’s the Line campaign.
As always, it’s critical to plan and be aware before starting any work that requires a ground disturbance or aerial work. This year’s media campaign will contain multiple messages and use multiple forms of media.
Radio — Studies show nine in 10 Albertans, urban and rural, listen to radio at least once per week. We’re planning a full-year campaign across 42 radio stations in Alberta with specific emphasis on April, May, August and September. The ads will alternate messaging between Click Before You Dig and Where’s the Line.
Social Media — We’ve always had success through various social channels such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube and we’re planning to use those same channels again.
Google ads — this is another form of digital advertising we’ve used previously and with success.
Rural sponsorships — We’re looking at several ideas, including potential sponsorships with rodeos in rural areas of Alberta. Organizers of those events, understandably, aren’t sure what they’re doing yet.
Podcast — This is the new idea. Our president, Mike Sullivan, has agreed to host a regular podcast developed by Alberta One-Call and distributed through the various podcast aggregators: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher and more than a dozen others. Podcasts have exploded in popularity in recent years — according to Apple, there were 1.6 million podcasts worldwide as of November 2020. What makes them different, and somewhat more effective, is the very personal nature in which the presenter is able to connect with their audience. The Alberta One-Call podcast will have the opportunity to cover a variety of topics related to damage prevention, excavation safety and legal matters. It will feature interviews with damage prevention experts and various guest speakers in the industry in a fun and engaging way. There are a few industry examples such as the Work Safe Podcast by Missouri One-Call and the Pipeline Podcast Network by Russel Treat. The Alberta One-Call podcast will publish its first episode in April.