Dive Brief:
- Uber released its first national holiday ad, building on a marketing push from the ride-hailing app that targets the suburban market, according to a press release.
- “Close” tracks a holiday traveler as she gets picked up from the airport in an Uber and reflects on her complicated relationship with her father during the ride. The spot, which is set to a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide,” shows how their last Christmas together ended in an argument, and closes as they tearfully reunite.
- Developed with agency Mother and directed by Michael Spiccia, “Close” is running across cinema, connected TV, online video and social media in the U.S. and Canada. Uber sees the suburbs as a large opportunity for growth, with the holidays a moment for heavy travel.
Dive Insight:
Uber is expanding its suburbs-focused marketing strategy with an ad that tries to tug on the heartstrings but in a more grounded fashion than sentimental creative typical to the season. “Close” acknowledges that the holidays are not always full of good cheer, addressing the ugly family spats that can occur at the close of the year and also the possibility for reconnection and forgiveness against that same backdrop. The emotional undercurrent of the campaign is supported by a stripped-back, chilly rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” by the singer-songwriter James Blake.
Mother’s concept behind “Close” was to tie an emotional journey to a literal one, according to Chief Creative Officer Felix Richter, recognizing that many people will be flying home for the holidays and relying on ride-hailing apps for the final leg of their trips. Holiday travel is primed to be more fraught in 2025 following an extended U.S. government shutdown. Meanwhile, more consumers are pulling back on their travel plans due to budgetary pressures, according to Deloitte. Given those factors, value and convenience could help brands forge stronger connections in Q4.
“Close” features a similar reflective tone and storytelling approach as “In Good Time,” which Uber launched in October. Also made with Mother, “In Good Time” follows a couple across several highs and lows in their relationship when an Uber ride is just a few minutes away. The ad is soundtracked by Billie Eilish’s “when the party's over” — a song Blake has also covered — and concludes as the couple rediscovers their spark, mirroring the narrative arc of “Close.”
Uber reported strong Q3 earnings earlier this month, though revenue came in slightly under analyst estimates at $13.5 billion. Trips were up 22% year over year to 3.5 billion, and executives pointed to features like wait and save as gaining traction in “sparse” geographies, meaning suburban areas where people are more comfortable waiting for a ride compared to dense urban markets.
“The penetration opportunity in these sparser markets continues to be quite high,” said Uber CFO Prashanth Mahendra-Rajah on a call with analysts discussing the Q3 results. “Our rough take is that we are maybe 20% into what the opportunity is on the sparse market, so [there is] still lots of upside there.”
