Go, Go: What a Traffic Light Taught Me About Change at Byrider

Around 2013, Byrider changed its advertising. The well-known J.D. Byrider jingle gave way to a new character: a traffic light that said “go, go.” As I remember it, an agency leader from Detroit came up with it. In some cases the ads kept the old song and added “go go” at the end.

The pushback

Franchisees pushed back, and I understood why. They paid ad royalties, and many questioned whether the money was being spent wisely. A new campaign meant new creative, and for some owners it meant replacing signage and billboards in their local markets. Those are real costs.

In the room

The campaign was introduced at a meeting with the dealership groups, the March 20 Group at the Conrad in downtown Indianapolis in 2013. As I remember it, the agency presented its past work, including Little Caesars’ “Pizza! Pizza!” and Mazda’s “Zoom-Zoom,” as examples of its approach.

There were grumblings in the room. The pattern was hard to miss: say the key word twice and build the campaign around it. Not every owner cared for that explanation.

The rollout

Corporate gave owners a clear plan. There were timelines for all approved ad copy going forward, with every approved vendor. The in-store materials were updated too, from the sales flipcharts to the signage.

There was also a lighter touch. The traffic light character became a printout for kids waiting at the dealership, and a drawing contest got families involved. It was a small thing that made the change feel friendly.

What I took from it

Change and innovation will always be second-guessed, no matter how well you communicate the rollout. That does not mean the communication does not matter. It means you get stakeholder buy-in first, and you help people understand why the change is happening before you push it onto a large group, especially when there are financial implications for the signs and billboards they use in their local markets.

This is one of several change stories from my years at Byrider. For the rest, read What Byrider Taught Me.