Breaking Through to Save Lives, One Powerline at a Time
Electrical Safety Authority
Unified Marketing Communications
Challenge:
Powerline contacts are the leading cause of electrical-related fatalities in Ontario, with 20 fatalities and nearly 1,400 powerline contacts recorded across the province between 2013 and 2022. Yet, many Ontarians – especially young men – are still unaware of safe distances (3 metres for overhead, 10 metres for downed powerlines) or that downed powerlines can remain energized.
ESA’s 2023 campaign reached the right audience but wasn’t resonating with high-risk groups. The 2024 campaign (Year 2) needed to simplify messaging, increase retention, and start shifting behaviour to reduce these preventable fatalities.
Insight:
Two-thirds of electrical fatalities involved males under 39, a group notoriously disengaged from safety messaging. The initial campaign’s messaging was too complex, trying to explain both the relevance of the message and the specific safe distances, asking our audience to remember too much. To cut through, we needed a simpler, more personally relevant message that stuck.
Approach:
We segmented our audience into two high-risk groups: outdoor workers and DIY-prone men aged 18–39. A straightforward two-step messaging strategy guided the campaign: (1) build emotional connection through relatable scenarios, then (2) deliver clear, actionable safety messages. Tactics included strategically targeted digital ads, high-visibility OOH near worksites and in on-site portable toilets, earned media aligned with high-risk events, and stakeholder engagement through training and safety materials. A central landing page for each audience group reinforced education.
Impact:
In total, the campaign reached 3 million males aged 18-39 and over 400,000 construction workers, delivering 116 million paid and 1.6 million earned impressions. This huge impact led to a 5–10-point gain in awareness of the 3m and 10m safe distances. Media engagement surged: with only a 23% budget increase compared to Year 1, impressions doubled among DIYers while clicks and views rose by 247% and 178%, respectively. Ad recall hit 32% overall, peaking at 58% among outdoor workers.
Awards:
Winner of three industry awards, including:
- 2025 CPRS National Awards of Excellence – Canadian Marketing Communications Campaign of the Year (Silver)
- 2025 CPRS ACE Awards – Marketing Communications Campaign of the Year (Bronze)
- 2025 CPRS ACE Awards – Best CSR or Cause-Related Campaign (Silver)