Pilot Celebrates the Joy of the Open Road

Pilot, the largest network of travel centres in North America, is embarking on a major brand evolution with the launch of a new ad campaign, “See You Out Here.” The campaign from Hyphenated embodies the company’s purpose to “show people they matter at every turn” by forging a deeper emotional connection between Pilot and the experiences drivers crave.

For over 65 years, Pilot has been a trusted companion to millions of travellers across North America. Building on this legacy, the company’s first-ever chief marketing officer, Adrienne Ingoldt, is leading the charge to make Pilot an iconic brand and the travel centre of choice for all who love the open road.

“It’s the people and the moments along the way that make being on the road so much more than just travelling from point A to B,” Adrienne explained. “We’ve found that people who choose to drive – wherever their journey takes them – have a shared desire to embrace all the possibilities along the way. Pilot is out here to fuel them up, fill them up and lift them up.”

To develop this campaign, Pilot spoke to all types of drivers to better understand the community it serves. These conversations revealed an essential truth: out on the road, like in life, it’s about the journey and what you make of it, not just the destination. Drivers of all kinds answer the call of the road because it puts them in the driver’s seat of life, where they feel alive and free.

"Taking great care of a 65-year-old brand on its first brand launch required the highest level of trust in a new relationship, and required the CMO, Adrienne, and I as CCO to work as copilots," said founder and CCO at Hyphenated. "Together, we shepherded the brand through the unknowns and ensured the platform idea was beautifully delivered with excellence across brand identity and campaign. And as Hyphenated, it was important for us to celebrate different drivers, from 18-wheelers to low riders to travel ball roadtrippers, but unite them through the love they share for the road."

This campaign is the first to showcase Pilot’s refreshed brand identity which includes a fresh, bold style with a new, modern logo, a more vibrant colour palette and a relatable, witty brand voice. With its updated brand aesthetic and welcoming call to, ‘See You Out Here,’ Pilot invites everyone to create miles of memories along the way. The new brand comes to life through broadcast television in five key markets across the U.S., nationwide billboards, social media, radio ads and more.

The hero of the campaign is a 30-second television commercial that turns up the volume on everybody’s favourite road trip anthem, Tom Cochrane's "Life is a Highway,” and features everyday people, all kinds of drivers moving to the rhythm of the road. The ad is currently airing on major networks and streaming on connected TV platforms. The new brand elements and motto of “See You Out Here” will continue across the company’s owned channels and in key moments throughout the year.

“Everyone who’s ever hand-surfed out the window or belted out an epic car power ballad knows the middle of nowhere can be the greatest somewhere,” added Adrienne. “Our brand is how we show up for drivers – whether it’s in the middle of a rigorous multi-day haul or an epic road trip, we get them and have just what they need to keep that upbeat feeling rolling. See you out here!”

Learn more about the “See You Out Here” campaign and listen to the brand’s curated summer playlist by visiting here.