Dive Brief:
- Uber has partnered with soccer club Manchester United in a deal that places a dedicated Uber pick up and drop off zone at Old Trafford, the club’s home stadium, and will also connect fans worldwide with behind-the-scenes content, per a joint press release.
- The partnership with Man United gives Uber a branded engagement with fans wherever they are when supporting the club and will "deliver fans incredible experiences throughout the season," said Amy Friedlander Hoffman, head of business development in experiential marketing at Uber, in a statement.
- "Working with Uber we will look to enhance this experience for our 659 million followers, both home and abroad, by bringing them the spirit of Old Trafford and Manchester United through various experiences and interactive campaigns,” said Manchester United’s Group managing director, Richard Arnold, in the same release.
Dive Insight:
Uber is a popular mobile-first partner for brands, but what's unique about the Manchester United tie-up is a focus on content that takes advantage of the fact that riders are a captive audience for the duration of their trip and are likely already looking at their phones to pass the time.
Third-party app partnerships can be a novel way for a brand to extend reach, especially via a partner like Uber, which is tapped by riders around the world. Manchester United is one of the more popular soccer teams (or football clubs, depending on your locale), though it may have less brand recognition stateside. However, the sport is slowly picking up traction in the U.S., and the new deal may be a smart way for the organization to engage fans new and old via exclusive behind-the-scenes content.
Uber has deployed a number of collaborative marketing campaigns over the past several years. The latest deal with Man Untied recalls the one the ride-hailing service struck with sports apparel brand Fanatics following the Chicago Cubs' win of the World Series last year, which entailed Uber drivers delivering fans team swag across the city.
Awhile back, Uber also became a Mother's Day Hershey's Kisses delivery service and the company recently partnered with Snapchat to offer riders custom filters. Uber even tested out flying ad-carrying drones over heavy traffic in Mexico City to promote UberPOOL, its carpooling service, though that idea may have been more annoying than innovative.