Case Study
Why Uber decided to #MoveWhatMatters
How Uber used Twitter to get the word out about the campaign for good
Key results
3x
higher view rate compared to past campaigns
+33%
lift in positive sentiment
+42%
more impressions
The opportunity
How do you know it’s been an unusual year? When a company that moves people encourages everyone not to move.
According to a Twitter survey, 81% of people on Twitter agree that brands should use their position to effect positive change.1
And Uber did just that in a surprising way: by telling everyone to stay put. With so many communities struggling with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Uber positioned itself as a force for good and #MoveWhatMatters.
The strategy
To help those in need, Uber committed 10M free rides and food deliveries to those impacted the most by the crisis. The brand worked with food banks, hospitals, and restaurants to #MoveWhatMatters, delivering rides and food for health care workers, seniors, and other people in need.
In addition to free rides, the brand encouraged people who could stay home to do just that to slow the spread. Here’s how Uber used Twitter to amplify its efforts to #MoveWhatMatters within local communities and encourage people to stay home:
Steps to success:
01
Elevate the right voices.
To add a human touch, Uber enlisted its CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, to get the word out about #MoveWhatMatters ahead of the campaign launch.
02
Make a splash
On launch day, Uber used a Twitter Takeover to make a big impact. Using First View, the brand shared a Video Website Card — a 15-second video that didn’t move. The static video was totally unexpected and a unique way to capture people’s attention to get the message across.
03
Try something different.
To reach more people and share more information about #MoveWhatMatters, Uber utilized a few creative styles to reinforce the message in different ways. Some versions used more text, sharing opportunities for people on Twitter to join in and support the campaign.
04
Keep sharing the message.
To maintain top-of-mind awareness, Uber resurfaced #MoveWhatMatters in an evolved Video Website Card. Through retargeting, the brand reached back out to early engagers to reiterate the brand message.
The success
While a transportation brand asking people to stay put may have seemed like an unusual move, when brands emphasize purpose, people pay attention. The Uber campaign demonstrated this in a big way. In fact, #MoveWhatMatters was viewed at a higher rate compared to past Uber campaigns.2
Plus, the campaign garnered enough positive attention that it also won the category of Best campaign for driving positive change as part of Twitter's 2020 Best of Tweets Awards.
Understanding when and how to use your voice and your platform — especially at a time when the business is taking a backseat — is a huge undertaking. Yet even with this challenge, we knew that Twitter was where authentic conversations were happening and where our voice could make the most impact.
The campaign was a huge success, providing 10M free rides and deliveries and generating overall positive sentiment and press. By deciding to #MoveWhatMatters, Uber got people talking while making an impact in the communities it serves.
We know it was one of the best places to ensure people were exposed to and talked about Uber’s #MoveWhatMatters message. Placing purpose before profit is easier said than done, but that risk was worth it as Uber continues our endeavor to be an authentic and trustworthy brand.
Sources
1 The Numbers Lab & Twitter Brand Purpose Research, Jan 2020. Brazil, Mexico, Canada, US, UK, and Japan
2 Twitter Internal, Q4 2019