Metrolinx joins the masses with ‘GO Jays GO’ messaging

GO Transit is connecting with Toronto Blue Jays fans for its latest campaign, showing how it has always been a part of the Toronto baseball tradition.

With “GO Jays GO,” the transit provider is showing how the signs that many fans take to ball games highlight its connection to both its audience and the team in a bid “to engage with our customers on a more personal level,” according to Mark Childs, chief marketing officer for Metrolinx, of which GO is a division.

“Jays fans make up such a large part of our vibrant community of riders. Not only do they take GO to the game to enjoy a stress-free journey, but it is also an opportunity to connect with fellow fans,” he tells strategy. “This was our way of celebrating this unique connection and the community of Jays fans who know GO is one of the best ways to get to the game.”

For its “GO Jays GO” campaign, the company connected with fans at a trio of Junior Jays games and a fan activation in Union Station’s Skywalk earlier in the summer. The transit provider solicited submissions from fans that showcased their “Go Jays” signs for the chance to have their creations featured in GO’s advertisements.

“The level of engagement we witnessed underscores the genuine passion for the Jays and loyalty of our riders,” says Childs, who notes that more than 10,000 fans interacted with the service provider.

The campaign was timed specifically for the stretch drive in a bid to leverage “the tremendous energy” that has surrounded the Blue Jays throughout the summer and that is ramping up for the journey to the playoffs.

“This last stretch is a highly anticipated time for Jays fans, and we hope to help get them from home to home plate smoothly,” says Childs, adding that the campaign provided “an opportunity for us to bring to life our mission of ‘Connecting Our Communities.'”

Metrolinx worked with Rethink and Carat on the effort.