Uber Said Not to Use Uber During the Pandemic, and Found Its Purpose in the Process

The best media plan of 2020 didn’t just tell consumers not to use Uber’s service—it begged them to avoid it as if their lives, and others' lives, depended on it. Because they did. Uber’s “Move What Matters” campaign is Adweek’s Media Plan of the Year Best in Show honoree not only because of the campaign’s gravity, but also its urgency. The ride-hailing company also netted Best Cause Marketing Campaign Spending $1 Million+, Best Use of Out of Home in Campaigns Spending $500,000+ and Best Total Campaign Spending $5 Million-$10 Million. Uber, MediaCom and Wieden+Kennedy first teamed up on "Move What Matters" early in the pandemic, when New York City was adding 4,000-6,000 Covid-19 cases each day. At that time, the city's hospitals were taking in 1,500 more people every 24 hours and 600 were dying daily. Uber and its partners took just 48 hours to devise a strategy, the main objective of which was to discourage nonessential rides during the pandemic. In its first phase, Uber placed static video ads on YouTube and Twitter that read “This video isn’t moving. Neither should you.” It used first-party data to target Uber and other ride-share users and got them to spread the message on social media. “The effectiveness of the campaign was actually to get butts out of the seats,” says Sasha Savic, CEO of MediaCom, Adweek’s Global Media Agency of the Year for 2021. The second step involved using vacant Uber vehicles for free transportation and meal delivery for health care workers and spreading the message about their availability. The “Move What Matters” campaign set up billboards near hospitals and used a matrix to place ads in politically neutral news sources. Those ads functioned as public-service announcements that gave customers a strong, clear message at a time when they were looking for someone to be the grown-up in the room. “It's taking a stance and not letting politics be a part of any of it,” says Travis Freeman, Uber’s global head of media. “This isn't a debate. This is not like any sort of political conversation. This is just what we as humans have to be doing right now to protect each other.” The public loved it. Social listening revealed that 97% of reactions to the campaign were positive or at least neutral. YouGov, meanwhile, gave Uber its highest impression score to date and its highest reputation score in four years. Given where Uber was in 2017—from the #DeleteUber social media movement to CEO Travis Kalanick stepping down amid accusations of a toxic workplace culture—it was a significant evolution. “Historically, Uber wasn't necessarily a golden child when it comes to public perception of the company, so all the needles, they’ve been moved,” Savic says. “With a change of management with a new CEO and a new head of communication, and advertising, we suddenly realize that Uber is kind of growing up as a company.” It’s also growing into its newfound marketing voice. Freeman notes that the success of the campaign gave Uber the confidence to go ahead with new messaging, including “‘No Mask, No Ride," and its statement on social justice: “If you tolerate racism, delete Uber.” Where Twitter had been a minefield of negative user feedback for Uber four years ago, it’s been a well of heart emojis and avatars assuring Freeman and his colleagues that “this is a brand that I'm going to start to use again because they're doing what's right.” “It's only proven that we have a right to have these conversations as a brand. People are listening; people appreciate it,” Freeman says. “And we have a responsibility as a brand to have these conversations.” Read about all of our 2021 Media Plan of the Year winners here.

Media Plan of the Year

Uber Said Not to Use Uber During the Pandemic, and Found Its Purpose in the Process

The ride-hailing service earns Best in Show honors in Adweek's 2021 Media Plan of the Year awards

Jason Notte

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