DCP Midstream Says ‘Don’t Be Shovelheaded’

 “Don’t Be Shovelheaded” is the new rallying cry for DCP Midstream. Created by gyro Denver, the new campaign is designed to educate and raise awareness about the dangers of digging in unmarked territory.

 
DCP Midstream, the largest natural gas gatherer and processor, focuses on safety, environmental stewardship and reliable operations.

 
The campaign, which kicks off on Sept. 16, includes print, outdoor, radio, online and in-store activations.

 

 

The campaign aims to educate and inform by exposing “Shovelheaded” misconceptions. One execution, for example, reads: “I have my own version of 811. They’re called eyeballs.” The people making the ill-advised statements have heads shaped like shovels. The photography and retouching was conducted by the award-winning commercial and editorial photographer Randal Ford.
 

The radio spots feature an announcer who humorously engages in dialogue with jackhammers and weed whackers, since these tools are ‘trusted’ by the audience. The call-to-action is: “Don’t Be Shovelheaded. Call 811 before you dig.”

 

 

Online during the 2014 phase of the campaign, people will be able to upload their picture and take a quiz to determine how much they know about digging and how 811 works. As they get the questions incorrect, their head will increasingly become the shape of a shovel.
 

In-store, “Don’t Be Shovelheaded stickers” will be placed next to shovels in local hardware stores throughout the fall.
 

“The campaign uses differentiated messaging to explain how dangerous it is to dig without first calling 811,” said DCP Midstream’s Vice President of Public Affairs and Investor Relations, Roz Elliott. “DCP Midstream is committed to meeting the needs of its customers and continuing its quest for exemplary operations.”

 
“People dig on their property all the time. But the fact is you don’t know when you might be getting close to a gas or a utility line,” said Aaron Stern, ECD, gyro Denver. “People don’t realize how dangerous it can really be. We wanted to create a campaign that exposed some of the mentality that keeps people from calling 811.”

 
“Don’t be Shovelheaded” will relaunch in the spring.

Credits

Agency: gyro Denver
Chief Creative Officer: Christoph Becker        
Executive Creative Director: Aaron Stern
Copywriter: Justin Horrigan
Art Director: Rob Lewis
Planner: Kim Lauersdorf
Project Management: Jessica Levine
Producers: Kristen Del Calzo / Carly Chapell
Account Executive(s): Robert Tucker (AS) and Scott Anderson (AE)
Photographer: Randal Ford 
Production Company: Susanne Lancaster Productions
Post-Production: Happy Finish UK
Media: billboards, digital display, newspaper, radio, and microsite
Media Agency: gyro: New York / Horizon Media