When you think of Waze, you think of “Outsmarting Traffic, Together.” That tagline has been featured in campaigns, app stores, and press around the world. What many people don’t know is that I created it during my time as Waze’s first in-house communications strategist.

In 2010, as Waze transitioned from an emerging navigation app to a global brand, I was tasked with defining a clear, human-centered positioning. The challenge: how do you turn a data-driven app into a movement people want to join?

The answer became “Outsmarting Traffic, Together.”

“Outsmarting” captured the intelligence of crowdsourced, real-time data.

“Traffic” addressed the universal pain point.

“Together” reflected Waze’s community — the drivers helping each other.





Noam Bardin, then CEO of Waze, later credited me directly for this positioning:

“Michal was and built our first in-house comms strategy and reality. He was responsible for our initial Waze positioning, ‘Outsmarting Traffic, Together,’ and is an amazing communicator, extremely creative, and talented.” — [LinkedIn endorsement from Noam Bardin, 2021]

How Waze’s Tagline Was Created

“Outsmarting Traffic, Together” became more than a slogan. It gave Waze a global identity rooted in collaboration — and helped fuel the company’s growth from startup to Google acquisition.

Outsmarting Traffic, Together