OPEI Rolls Out Ethanol Education Campaign

The grassroots campaign will educate consumers on the harmful and illegal use of ethanol blends over 10% in outdoor power equipment.

OPEI's 'Look Before You Pump' campaign is a fantastic place for dealers to access educational tools regarding ethanol-blended fuels.
OPEI's "Look Before You Pump" campaign is a fantastic place for dealers to access educational tools regarding ethanol-blended fuels.

The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) announced at GIE+EXPO in Louisville, KY, a national grassroots ethanol education and consumer protection campaign called “Look Before You Pump”.

Watch a video from the official GIE+EXPO 2013 press conference.

The campaign cautions users on the harmful and illegal use of ethanol blended fuel higher than 10% in any outdoor power equipment. A study conducted on behalf of OPEI surveyed 2,040 U.S. adults ages 18 and older about their fuel-buying behavior and fuel awareness at gas stations. The survey found that the vast majority of Americans (71%) are “not at all sure” if it is illegal or legal to put high level ethanol gas (i.e., anything higher than 10% ethanol) into engines such as those in boats, lawnmowers, chainsaws, snowmobiles, generators and other engine products.

Kris Kiser, president and CEO of OPEI, informed the media on the program’s goals and strategy for outreach. The campaign will reach consumers through radio, video public service announcements, fact sheets, in-store displays, labels, dealer mats and product hang-tags. The campaign logo features a red hand warning consumers to “Look Before You Pump”.

Todd Teske, chairman, president and CEO of Briggs & Stratton and OPEI’s board chair, also addressed the crowd, stressing that the program is all about the consumer. “Consumers have the expectation that their equipment is going to work, and that it is going to work with the fuels that are readily available,” says Teske. The campaign kicked off at GIE+EXPO hoping to spread the word through the dealer network.

To learn more, visit LookBeforeYouPump.com.

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