Different name – same idea.
The North Dakota Petroleum Council has been using the “Oil Can!” brand for its outreach campaigns. It’s changing that – to “Energy of North Dakota.”
Council spokesperson Tessa Sandstrom said when people are asked what they think of when they hear “North Dakota,” it’s mainly about agriculture, wide open spaces, NDSU football and UND hockey.
"Despite the fact we're the second largest producer of oil in the nation, and actually number 20 in the entire world, people just don't seem to identify that as much with North Dakota," Sandstrom said.
Sandstrom said this is designed to get energy development top of mind when people think about this state. She said an informational campaign will start this fall, with a series of videos about how and why energy is important.
"We're also trying to tie in the schools, bringing in that STEM (Science, Technology, Energy and Mathematics) aspect," Sandstrom said. "Workforce issues are going to be a major concern, making sure we can fill the positions available now and will be available in the future, with highly trained and qualified individuals."
The new campaign will also make more use of social media.