A Crown Collaboration
Dig Safe Doug
This wasn't just a gut feeling; we did the groundwork.
We know the people of Saskatchewan don’t like authority, especially when it comes to government communication, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have pride in this province, government, and the land. It just means we need to be talked to in a certain way, right?
Meet Doug
Enter Doug, a friendly and relatable mascot who is not just a cute face; he is your go-to guy for promoting safe digging practices across Saskatchewan. Doug’s character would emphasize the importance of obtaining a line locate before any digging activities and help reduce the number of accidental line hits. Safety, but make it fun!
Testing the Waters of Public Perception
Before we launched this bad boy into the public, we pretested the Doug concept to gauge public perception and gather valuable insights. Insightrix facilitated the testing, targeting both contractors and homeowners, to assess their response to Doug’s persona and message. The feedback from these focus groups was overwhelmingly positive, with only minor suggestions related to Doug’s voice and tone… apparently he sounded like a New York rat and we can’t have that! These insights were valuable in shaping the final portrayal of Doug and refining his messaging to truly resonate with the people of Saskatchewan.
Doug Takes Center Stage
The campaign went all out and hit every channel to get Doug’s message out there. A launch video kicked things off, making Doug the safe digging guru, with special videos for contractors and DIY homeowners that preach the “get a line locate” gospel. From billboards to online banners, “Dig Safe, Dig Like Doug” was everywhere. Targeted spots like The Weather Network and The Score pulled in nearly 4 million impressions. Basically, Doug’s safety advice was in your face no matter where you looked!
Doug even hit the streets! The in-person event popped up at stores where contractors and DIYers hang out to spark chats about safe digging. Doug’s team worked the crowd, including clueless first-time homeowners, giving them the lowdown on checking lines before digging. With coffee, treats, and swag in hand, people were all smiles. The feedback? Pure gold. Comments like, “We’re building a deck this weekend—definitely calling first,” and “Doug is so cute!” These excited expressions showed Doug didn’t just educate, he charmed the socks off them too!
Post-launch, Doug starred in two more videos—one for contractors where he is the ultimate industry buddy and another for homeowners tackling DIY projects. Both ended with the campaign’s key message: “Dig Safe, Dig Like Doug.” Simple, catchy, and Doug-approved!
Results
4 million impressions hit between The Weather Network and The Score during the mid-campaign.
Doug became a household name, with one fan saying, “When my wife turns on the TV, I always hear ‘no line locate, no diggity.’"
Website preference shifted to digsafesask.com, giving SaskEnergy better control and data.
Despite users spending an average of 20 seconds on digsafesask.com, they found the “request a line locate” button fast—mission accomplished!
The in-person event sparked key conversations, especially with newcomers and first-time homeowners, leaving attendees genuinely grateful.
Doug's fan base grew so much that people even asked about buying Doug merch!