811 Safety Awareness Campaign

CLIENT

South Jersey Gas

CAMPAIGN

811 Safety Awareness

INDUSTRY

  • Energy

SERVICES

  • Digital, Strategic Marketing
Raising Awareness. Preventing Damage.

South Jersey Gas wanted to remind homeowners and contractors about one simple—but critical—step before starting any digging project: Call 811. With damages from unreported digging still occurring in several high-risk communities, South Jersey Gas partnered with Whale to develop a digital-first awareness campaign that made safety simple, visible, and actionable.

Campaign Objective

Raise awareness around calling 811 before starting a digging project.

The Approach

Whale launched a targeted digital campaign focused on education and engagement in the areas most prone to digging-related incidents. Our team developed creative that was clear and approachable, reminding the target audience that a quick call to 811 could prevent serious damage or injury.

Services Provided
  • Campaign Strategy & Creative Development
  • Digital Advertising (Facebook, Google Display, Nextdoor)
  • Video Development & YouTube Advertising
  • Data Targeting & Optimization
  • Performance Tracking & Reporting
Tactics and Targeting
  • Geo-targeted digital ads on Facebook, Google Display, and Nextdoor in 12 high-priority zip codes
  • Video ads on YouTube to reinforce the message visually and emotionally
  • Performance optimization throughout the campaign to increase engagement over time
The Results

The campaign exceeded expectations—driving awareness and measurable engagement well above industry benchmarks.

Campaign highlights:

  • 1.7MM+ impressions across digital and video placements
  • 4.51% Google Display CTR — 10x the industry average
  • 6,000+ clicks to the 811 landing page
  • 44.2-second average YouTube watch time — proving engagement and interest
The Impact

South Jersey Gas successfully strengthened public awareness of safe digging practices in high-risk service areas—helping reduce potential utility damage and improve community safety.

Whale’s digital strategy and creative storytelling combined to not only spread the 811 message but inspire people to act on it.