Who: Uber for creative and strategy; and Touché for media.
What: “Mythbusting in the City of Toronto,” a communications campaign countering negative press through practical, informational ads. The target audience is Toronto City Hall and residents.
When & Where: The assets are in market now, including social, print, TV, OOH at Bike Share stations, and a
What: “Mythbusting in the City of Toronto,” a communications campaign countering negative press through practical, informational ads. The target audience is Toronto City Hall and residents.
When & Where: The assets are in market now, including social, print, TV, OOH at Bike Share stations, and a
dedicated landing page at Uber.com.
Why: In October, Toronto city council temporarily capped the number of rideshare drivers at 52,000 in an effort to reduce carbon emissions, consequently triggering a lawsuit by Uber. CTV News reported that the rideshare conglomerate submitted an injunction application to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, arguing that the cap was illegal because it failed to provide notice to the public, drivers, and other stakeholders.
“A rideshare cap ultimately hurts the diverse group of Torontonians who rely on rideshare as part of their transportation mix and those who drive rideshare for additional income, especially in a time of rising costs,” Uber’s corporate communications lead for Canada, Keerthana Rang, told The Message.
City council rescinded the cap in December (causing Uber to drop the injunction) and pivoted to preparing a report to the Executive Committee in February with options to limit the number of vehicle-for-hire and private transportation company driver licenses, a matter which will return to council in March.
Ahead of that city council discussion, Uber is taking the opportunity to correct negative perceptions of the brand, using insights from the previous council meeting in the fall.
How: “We’d like to correct the record and share the facts about how we help support and connect riders, drivers and communities,” said Rang. “Uber has come a long way since our first trip in Toronto in 2012. Today we’re becoming a zero-emission mobility platform, advocating for positive change for drivers, and working with UFCW Canada, the country’s largest private-sector union. Some of these efforts have gone unnoticed, which can fuel misunderstandings around Uber’s mission and impact.”
The campaign assets, namely posters, feature crossed out statements about Uber, like “Uber has 52,000 drivers on the road at once,” and “Uber causes traffic congestion.” Smaller text underneath presents a statement that conflicts with the original, like “Last year, only 7% of drivers were on the road at a given hour, and 13% at the peak hour. Drivers drive if, when, and where they want,” and “According to a City of Toronto report, rideshare was only 3.3% of traffic citywide. Rideshare helps people reduce or eliminate their private car use.” These statements are attributed to Uber’s 2023 Q3 results.
“We’re launching this marketing and digital campaign to bust some myths to show how our mission is driving positive change,” said Rang. “We know we have more work to do, but we’re excited about our journey so far. As we move forward in serving Toronto, we’ll continue our mission to reimagine the way the world moves for the better.”
Why: In October, Toronto city council temporarily capped the number of rideshare drivers at 52,000 in an effort to reduce carbon emissions, consequently triggering a lawsuit by Uber. CTV News reported that the rideshare conglomerate submitted an injunction application to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, arguing that the cap was illegal because it failed to provide notice to the public, drivers, and other stakeholders.
“A rideshare cap ultimately hurts the diverse group of Torontonians who rely on rideshare as part of their transportation mix and those who drive rideshare for additional income, especially in a time of rising costs,” Uber’s corporate communications lead for Canada, Keerthana Rang, told The Message.
City council rescinded the cap in December (causing Uber to drop the injunction) and pivoted to preparing a report to the Executive Committee in February with options to limit the number of vehicle-for-hire and private transportation company driver licenses, a matter which will return to council in March.
Ahead of that city council discussion, Uber is taking the opportunity to correct negative perceptions of the brand, using insights from the previous council meeting in the fall.
How: “We’d like to correct the record and share the facts about how we help support and connect riders, drivers and communities,” said Rang. “Uber has come a long way since our first trip in Toronto in 2012. Today we’re becoming a zero-emission mobility platform, advocating for positive change for drivers, and working with UFCW Canada, the country’s largest private-sector union. Some of these efforts have gone unnoticed, which can fuel misunderstandings around Uber’s mission and impact.”
The campaign assets, namely posters, feature crossed out statements about Uber, like “Uber has 52,000 drivers on the road at once,” and “Uber causes traffic congestion.” Smaller text underneath presents a statement that conflicts with the original, like “Last year, only 7% of drivers were on the road at a given hour, and 13% at the peak hour. Drivers drive if, when, and where they want,” and “According to a City of Toronto report, rideshare was only 3.3% of traffic citywide. Rideshare helps people reduce or eliminate their private car use.” These statements are attributed to Uber’s 2023 Q3 results.
“We’re launching this marketing and digital campaign to bust some myths to show how our mission is driving positive change,” said Rang. “We know we have more work to do, but we’re excited about our journey so far. As we move forward in serving Toronto, we’ll continue our mission to reimagine the way the world moves for the better.”
