Spreading the safe digging message ahead of 811 Day

Enbridge's campaign has reached seven million of our neighbors

Would you rather save your time or waste your time?

That’s just one of the questions posed by the safe digging advertisements reaching countless communities near Enbridge’s operations across the United States this summer.

Average work delay due to hitting a pipeline while digging: 4½ days
Time it takes to call 811 before you dig: 4½ minutes

With damage prevention as one of our Lifesaving Rules, we make a special effort to educate our neighbors about the ways they can protect themselves while digging near pipelines and other buried utilities. In the U.S., this effort has taken the form of a five-month campaign spanning print, radio, online and digital video that has already reached millions.

Our research shows that besides safety, two of the biggest concerns among professional diggers near our pipelines are time and money. The good news—and our message—is that making a fast, free call to 811 to get underground utilities marked can help them avoid the work delays, costs and hazards associated with striking a pipeline.

And it’s resonating. Since the campaign launched on April 1, Enbridge’s ads via traditional media, mobile devices, and even Facebook have reached more than seven million of our neighbors. Tens of thousands of people have visited Enbridge’s safe digging site to learn more about 811, and over 680,000 others have watched our digital video advertisement alone.

We’re also talking to the right people. While the campaign reaches from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, it focuses on areas along our system where we see the most damage to our pipelines or violations of our excavation safety standards. It’s just one important part of a greater, company-wide effort to eliminate third-party damage to Enbridge pipelines.

But we’re not alone in these efforts—our goals are shared by underground utility operators across North America. Enbridge often partners with these companies to spread the safe digging message through national campaigns, particularly on August 11 (811 Day), a day set aside by underground utility companies and government agencies to raise awareness of proper excavation practices.

In the past, we’ve helped secure 811 advertising during coverage of NASCAR races, football games, even the Olympics. This August 11, we’re joining other operators in deploying a television, print and radio campaign nationwide, and displaying 811 signage behind home plate at nearly every Major League Baseball game—including games featuring nine teams from cities near Enbridge’s pipeline corridors. Working together, we can spread the 811 message and help each other protect our neighbors.

This month, watch and listen for Enbridge’s 811 advertisements in print, on the airwaves and online along our U.S. pipeline systems – and keep an eye out for our collaborative ads nationwide on August 11. Visit us to learn more about the ways you can save money and time by having underground utilities marked.

And, most importantly, remember to always Call Before You Dig.