New Tagline. New (Tweaked) Mission.
Bike the Boulevard riders
What does BikeSD mean to you?
In 2014, as our volunteers invested time and energy in the organization, we became many things to many people. To bicycle riders who encountered our work, BikeSD represented an organization that represented them in the halls of power and strongly advocated for bike infrastructure – separated and safe infrastructure. To non-riders, BikeSD represented a community: one that was driving change and connecting the city. To many we were an organization that was espousing livability, a saner, happier, friendlier and more connected city.
All of these messaging themes were good and positive but also somewhat inconsistent to individuals who didn’t know what it is that we did in the transportation realm. Did we care about pedestrian issues? What about transit issues? What about the drivers? What about bicycle riders themselves?
As a result of receiving feedback over the past two years, we underwent a very robust brand messaging strategy late last year to articulate in a consistent voice key messages about BikeSD’s identity, our constituents, our mission and vision.
The BikeSD board and volunteers discussed what BikeSD meant to them. Who was our audience?
Over the course of nearly three months, we articulated who we were. From our messaging documents:
Imagine an environment where people can ride their bikes without the constant danger of automobiles. One where neighbors say hello and support local Mom-and-Pop shops. This is the vibrant type of community that BikeSD aspires to cultivate in San Diego, one where all walks of life share in a rich culture.
Who was (and is) our audience?
• The urban cyclist.
• Average everyday rider, not just a weekend warrior.
• Riders like me.
• Your neighbors.
• Not only…young professional w/ good jobs, starting a family, but also…
• …the less affluent working class: immigrant, largely Latino, non car owners (which make bicycles a necessity).
• Even those that don’t cycle (perhaps too afraid), after all…
• …everyone knows a cyclist.
And what were the key themes and aspirations that represented this organization?
• Bicycle is a vehicle for change.
o Livability + culture development + community engagement.
o Change the built environment (an accessible and less automated, more humanized infrastructure).
o Connecting and strengthening communities.
• Social activism: engage civic leaders to push infrastructure.
• Known as the organization making San Diego a better place to live.
• Storytelling: beyond advocacy journalism (ie: messages on buses/billboards).
Undergoing this process took nearly three months. And at the end, we tweaked our mission and updated our tagline to better reflect what our audience expected from us. We had dedicated expertise from branding expert, Chris Wong, in helping guide us through the process. Thank you, Chris!
And now, for the big reveal!
Our new slightly modified mission is:
To establish San Diego as a world-class bicycling city by promoting everyday riding and advocating for standard-setting bicycling infrastructure, while aiming for the positive change and safety that will empower and connect San Diegans throughout a livable, urban environment.
Our new tagline:
Connect. Strengthen. Change.
And our updated logo to reflect the new tagline.
Much thanks go out to our board members and volunteers who weighed in to help craft and tighten our messaging: Sandra Pimental, Marzhel Pinto, Bruce Shank, Kate Crouthamel, Esther Palomino, Chip Sanders, Esteban del Rio, Lisi Arana, Andrew Kopp, Omar Passons, John Anderson, Paul Jamason, Aindrea Sparks, Kristin Blackson, and Chris Taylor. These individuals have invested considerable time and energy into growing BikeSD. And now thanks to their help we also have a fantastic and clear way to communicate what it is that we do to a wider audience – no matter how they get around in San Diego.