Tag: Uber Eats

Japan – To celebrate National Cat Day, Uber Eats has teamed up with Special (Australia and Japan), Whatever Tokyo, and EssenceMediacom to launch a playful new initiative in Japan, urging pet owners to stay in and enjoy quality time with their furry companions over the long weekend.

This February, Japan will observe a long weekend with National Cat Day on February 22 and a National Holiday on February 24. To mark the occasion, Uber Eats has introduced a limited run of Uber Eats Pet Buttons, designed to playfully encourage pet owners to stay in and order food, giving them more time to spend with their furry companions.

When pressed, the pet buttons play the well-known phrase from campaigns featuring Naka Riisa and Nakao Akiyoshi, “Uber Eatsで、いーんじゃない?” (Why Not Uber Eats?), serving as a light-hearted prompt for pet owners to stay in and share a meal with their furry companions.

The initiative will be shared through social media, digital platforms, and influencer collaborations, encouraging pet owners across Japan to spend more time at home with their furry companions.

Yasunari Aoyama, brand marketing manager for Japan at Uber Eats, said, “At Uber Eats, we know pets are a huge part of the family. Pets and Uber Eats have one thing in common… they want their humans to stay inside.”

“We wanted to give pets the opportunity to suggest ‘Why not Uber Eats’ to their owners so they can keep their humans home and enjoy their favourite meals together this weekend,” Aoyama added.

Australia – Uber Eats has launched the latest iteration of its ‘Get almost, almost anything’ campaign via Special and Essence Mediacom. The campaign, featuring Cher, reminds Australians that Uber Eats can deliver more than their favourite takeaway meal.

In the campaign, Cher is seen humming along to one of her most famous songs and pining for her heyday of the 1980s. After using Uber Eats to order a time machine, she seems to get her wish until it becomes clear that she’s turned back the clock a few decades too far, and landed somewhere she doesn’t quite belong.

Pop icon Cher’s unexpected journey continues in a series of social spots which further illustrate the perils of the 17th century, and the array of items available on Uber Eats in the 21st – from retail, grocery, alcohol, convenience and of course, restaurant cuisine.

A teaser launched during the premiere episode of Married at First Sight, complemented by a series of audio ads and social spots rolling out across various platforms.

Previously fronted by Kris and Kendall Jenner, Tom Felton, Nicola Coughlan, Jason Alexander and most recently Andy Murray, ‘Get almost, almost anything’ is a self-deprecating admission that there are some things Uber Eats don’t deliver – demonstrated through the chaos that would ensue if some people’s desires were, in fact, available on the app.

“I get approached to do commercials all the time – but the creativity and hilarity that Uber Eats presented appealed to me right away. I am really proud of the final product. I sincerely hope Uber will get me back my boots,” Cher said during her involvement with the campaign.

Channa Goonasekara, brand lead for ANZ at Uber Eats, said, “There’s not a single syllable in showbiz that projects more starpower than Cher. We reached for the stars and found a way to bring one of her most nostalgic songs and some of Cher’s most iconic outfits from her enduring career into our latest campaign. This is a high watermark for our Get Almost, Almost Anything series. Cher’s performance reminds audiences that while Uber Eats can get you thyme delivered, we can’t turn back time – and as it turns out that’s probably a good thing.”

Meanwhile, Nicole Bardsley, head of marketing at Uber Eats, commented, “Uber Eats is on a mission to bring people thyme and to save them time, I can think of no better ambassador than Cher. Given her timeless appeal it is our hope that this campaign will resonate instantly and remind Australians of the host of everyday items you can get delivered with Uber Eats.”

James Sexton, creative director at Special added, “This platform continues to evolve and provide heaps of opportunities. Who would have thought three years ago that we’d be sending pop icon Cher back to the dark ages.”

Lastly, Harry Neville-Towle, creative director at Special, stated, “Cher is the epitome of glamour, and the 1680s, well it’s anything but. Throwing them together felt wrong, but so very right.”

Taiwan – The country’s Fair Trade Commission (FTC) has announced its decision to block the proposed merger between Uber Eats and foodpanda, citing concerns that it would significantly harm competition. 

The government agency had argued that since foodpanda is Uber Eats’ primary competitor, the merger would give Uber Eats unchecked market dominance, potentially leading to higher costs for both consumers and restaurants.

The FTC also emphasised that Uber Eats relies heavily on individual customers and small to medium-sized restaurants for its business. If the merger went through, these groups would have limited alternatives outside the platform, leaving them vulnerable to the company’s increased influence in the food delivery sector.

Taiwan’s Fair Trade Commission (FTC) vice chairman Chen Chi-ming, said, “Post-merger, UberEats would be less constrained by competition, giving it more incentive to raise prices for consumers and even increase commissions for restaurant operators.”

He added, “The disadvantages to market competition from this merger far outweigh its economic benefits,” noting that the merged companies’ market share would exceed 90%.

While the merger promised some advantages, such as improved operational efficiency and cost benefits tied to denser networks, the FTC concluded that these potential gains were far outweighed by the harmful impacts on market competition.

Uber Eats had proposed measures to address the regulator’s concerns, but the FTC dismissed these as short-term fixes that would fail to sustain the existing level of competition in the industry.

It should be recalled that Uber Technologies and Delivery Hero SE have reached an agreement for Uber to acquire Delivery Hero’s foodpanda delivery business in Taiwan for US$950m in cash back in May this year. Delivery Hero SE had also previously confirmed the sale of select foodpanda businesses, albeit the only confirmation they had was for their SEA businesses.

Taipei, Taiwan – Uber Technologies and Delivery Hero SE have reached an agreement for Uber to acquire Delivery Hero’s foodpanda delivery business in Taiwan for US$950m in cash. The acquisition of foodpanda Taiwan is subject to regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions and is targeted to close in the first half of 2025. 

Separately, the companies have also entered into an agreement for Uber to purchase US$300m in newly issued ordinary shares of Delivery Hero.

Until closing, Delivery Hero is dedicated to continue operating foodpanda Taiwan as before, offering the best possible service for its customers and vendors. In the period following closing, foodpanda’s local consumers, merchants, and delivery partners will be transitioned to Uber Eats.

The deal will combine Uber’s global expertise in operating a high-efficiency marketplace with foodpanda’s extensive coverage across Taiwan and its relationships with beloved local brands. The deal will also give consumers greater choice across food types and price points by bringing the complementary groups of merchants on Uber Eats and foodpanda onto a combined platform.

Moreover, due to its existing presence in Taiwan, Uber is best placed to build upon the significant local operations developed by Delivery Hero and foodpanda over the past years, and invest further into an improved experience for consumers, merchants, and delivery partners.

Niklas Östberg, CEO and co-founder of Delivery Hero, said, “The strength of our Taiwanese business is a testament to the hard work of many teams over the last eight years. In order to build a world-leading service, we have come to the conclusion that we need to focus our resources on other parts of our global footprint, where we feel we can have the largest impact for customers, vendors and riders. This deal gives foodpanda an exciting runway in Taiwan and we wish them all the best in their next chapter.”

Meanwhile, Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty, senior vice president of delivery at Uber, commented, “Bringing together our distinct customer bases, merchant selections, and geographic footprints will allow us to deliver more choices and the best prices for consumers, stronger demand for restaurants, and more earnings opportunities for delivery partners. Taiwan is a fiercely competitive market, where online food delivery platforms today still represent just a small part of the food delivery landscape. We’re so excited about the opportunity to deliver even greater convenience and value that this transaction would unlock in the years ahead.”

Once completed, this deal would be one of the largest ever international acquisitions in Taiwan, outside of the semiconductor industry. It is worth noting that Delivery Hero SE previously confirmed the sale of select foodpanda businesses, albeit the only confirmation they had was for their SEA businesses.

Taiwan – Uber One, a subscription-based membership program that offers savings and deals across Uber and Uber Eats, made its debut with an engaging campaign collaborated by Special and the local creative agency, Whatever.

The “Never Eat Dirt Again” campaign plays on the phrase “I have to eat dirt now,” which is frequently uttered by Taiwanese people who are experiencing financial hardship, especially while waiting for their paycheck.

To remind Taiwanese who are looking for value that they will never have to consider eating dirt again because of Uber One’s member savings and exclusive deals, which are all accessible at their hands, Special reverse-engineered the culturally resonant insight and created a series of humorous scenarios.

The humorous creative elements of the campaign show people on the verge of consuming dirt that appears to pour out of various household appliances, such as refrigerators, microwave ovens, toasters, rice cookers, cabinets, and even cereal boxes, only to realise the financial advantages of Uber One.

Speaking about the campaign, Shiny Lee, Creative director of whatever, said, “In Taiwan, there’s a local phrase, ‘I’ll have to eat dirt’, for when you’ve run out of money at the end of the month. It’s a light-hearted metaphor people use when they can’t afford fancy food. Luckily, with the great savings and deals on Uber One, you’ll never have to eat dirt again.”

Meanwhile, James Sexton, creative director special of Uber APAC, remarked, “Leveraging a well-known saying allowed us to position Uber One in a culturally relevant way, and the literal portrayal of a world where people are about to eat dirt, further leans into the brand’s willingness to not take itself too seriously.”

Melissa Chen, Uber Eats head of marketing, expressed, “I am so proud of “our dirty baby” birthed by the best crew of local and international talent. We are able to infuse the power of an established cultural vernacular to our creative ambition and our mission to serve Taiwanese’ desires in getting the best savings and value with Uber One.” 

Sydney, Australia – Uber Eats’ famous ‘Tonight I’ll Be Eating’ campaign has launched a mural design out-of-home (OOH) instalment, which is designed to appeal to families by fusing the nationally adored Irwins and global star Paris Hilton, combined with some of the world’s most iconic animals to the co-stars. 

A full-sized mural will feature socialite Paris Hilton and celebrity zookeeper family, the Irwins and be complemented by a custom pink bedazzled water bowl fit for Paris’s iconic chihuahua that will sit below the artwork for our furry friends. 

The out-of-home campaign, conceptualised alongside street poster company Revolution360, is an integral part of the latest iteration of the campaign, which has been running since 2016. This year’s campaign sees Paris Hilton and her famous chihuahuas join Australia Zoo’s Irwin family to drive fame for Uber Eats. 

Josh Fitzgerald, national sales director at Revolution360, said. “The Uber Eats campaign has been a fun one to work on. The creative challenge was to showcase a clash of cultures while highlighting a common interest – the Irwins and Paris Hilton aren’t the traditional pairing but their shared love of animals connects them. We wanted to create an out-of-home offering that was as non-traditional as the campaign talent and that would offer a moment of surprise and delight for our furry friends and their humans.”

He added, “Our murals have become a popular medium for advertisers looking for something unique, bespoke and that blends into urban environments. The Uber Eats mural and custom water bowl for pets ties in perfectly with its latest campaign in an iconic Sydney location. Revolution360 is becoming synonymous with these types of blue-sky, quirky campaigns and we love working with clients to bring their creative to life.”

Tokyo, Japan – E-commerce company Rakuten and food ordering company Uber Eats have recently teamed up to roll out a new payment service integration where Rakuten Pay’s online payment service will be integrated into Uber Eat’s online system.

Rakuten Pay will be available as an official payment method when ordering food and groceries on Uber Eats for all users by late April.

In addition, this new integration will allow Rakuten customers to effortlessly sign up for an Uber Eats account using their Rakuten ID. They will also be able to earn and spend Rakuten Points — Rakuten’s flagship loyalty program — when ordering food and groceries on the Uber Eats app.

Ryo Matsumura, senior executive officer at Rakuten Group and vice president at Rakuten’s Commerce Company, said, “We are extremely pleased to launch this Uber Eats and Rakuten Pay collaboration with our partners. Consumer demand for quick commerce is growing rapidly. We are confident that this collaboration will contribute greater convenience to the service and improve the user experience, and we are very much looking forward to delivering new value to customers.”

Meanwhile, Yukiko Muto, president at Uber Eats Japan, commented, “It is an honour to be partnering with Rakuten, one of Japan’s largest and most trusted internet companies. We extend a warm welcome to the more than 100 million Rakuten members in Japan, and can’t wait to bring them the benefits of food and grocery delivery within 30 minutes. This is a huge step in Uber Eats’ journey in Japan, and I look forward to more exciting ventures with Rakuten in the future.”

To celebrate this collaboration, Uber Eats and Rakuten will launch a special promotion starting 27 April for both first-time Uber Eats users and all current Uber Eats users as well.

Japan — Online food ordering company Uber Eats has announced its newest campaign entitled ‘QR PJs’ to drive awareness that it offers the widest late-night delivery coverage in Japan. To drive awareness of this unique service and boost the brand’s popularity, they’ve partnered with creative agency Special.

The promotion, which features QR codes shaped in pyjamas, turns the classic nightwear into the easiest way to order food late at night, making the process so simple, consumers can do it in their sleep. The scannable pyjama print offers QR codes that link straight to all of Japan’s favourite cuisines on the Uber Eats app.

Ai Suzuki, senior brand manager of Uber Eats Japan, said, “For the people of Japan, our late-night offering is a huge advantage we have in the market. However, it’s always been a difficult differentiator to talk about. So we’ve been working on innovations in this space that are as unique as the product, to let people know that we are here well into the night, even after midnight.”

Meanwhile, Laurent Marcus, head of technology at Special, added that bridging the physical and the digital is a fun place to play for brands.

“Experimenting where these worlds collide to create a utility for your customers – and delivering a brand message at the same time – is really unconventional, but proving rewarding for Uber Eats. Plus, I love anything that brings a late-night miso snack closer,” Marcus said.

The promotion QR PJs is featured in key online destinations where Japan’s night owls spend their time, including leveraging top tier Twitch streamers to interact in real-time with consumers.

Hong Kong – Uber Eats’ famous campaign, ‘Tonight, I’ll Be Eating’, has just been debuted to the Hong Kong audience. This follows the latest installment that was recently released in Australia by Special Group, the brains behind the campaign, which features famous talent judge and critic Simon Cowell and Australia’s iconic household entertainment group, The Wiggles. 

The highly-awarded TIBE campaign first graced TV screens and social media platforms in 2017, which then was highly focused on the Australian audience featuring stars hailing from Australia. A big part of the campaign’s traction among viewers is its use of sarcasm and humor, basing the narrative on the featured famous star’s well-known quirk and characteristic. Some of the widely-known personalities that have already appeared on the campaign were British singer Boy George, actress Naomi Watts, and professional rugby league footballer Beau Ryan. Some of the most recent are comedian Leslie Jones and hockey legends Patrick Roy and Mario Tremblay. 

Still showcasing that trademark charm and humor, the debut in Hong Kong will be taking a different turn, where the campaign has been developed to spread the advocacy of loving and supporting local businesses. It has been named ‘Make Local Famous’ and was developed by Special Group Australia in partnership with creative group Uth Hong Kong. 

The ad features the country’s most loveable and dynamic duo, singers Joyce Cheng and Alfred Hui. Set in a lavish and stylish home, Joyce and Alfred are donning denim jackets covered in the logos of many local favorites. In the commercial, Joyce playfully irons patches of logos from some of their favorite local shops they will be ordering from. Towards the end of the scene, the duo is seen promoting many local restaurants and their food with an entire wall of televisions sitting behind them, while Alfred is seen in a classic Mary Poppins moment pulling out dishes after dishes of food out of an Uber Eats paper bag. 

Aside from the focus on local businesses, the Hong Kong installment is also flipping the traditional celebrity endorsement model on its head by picking the said duo. The ‘Make Local Famous’ campaign will see Joyce and Alfred advocate for the thousands of small and medium restaurants on Uber Eats. The campaign will also be providing a wide number of restaurant partners with ready-to-use content for them to repurpose on their owned channels.

Elisa Janiec, general manager of Uber Eats Hong Kong, said that the campaign genuinely speaks to their culture where food is a huge part of their cultural distinctiveness, with the “collision of West and East, old and new, hawker street stalls and Michelin-starred restaurants.” 

“It’s lively, creative, social, and deeply ingrained into the fabric of the city. There’s no better way to pay homage to this than to hero local restaurants and their food. Hong Kong is built around great food, and this campaign is all about celebrating that,” said Janiec. 

Ally Doube, APAC head of brand strategy & social at Uber Eats, commented, “Across APAC, we are passionate about unlocking local consumer insights to bring to life in all of our marketing, whether through brand campaigns or social ads. We are blessed with having the ‘Tonight, I’ll Be Eating’ platform at our hands, one of the most award-winning campaigns, as our creative hook. The team in Hong Kong has done an amazing job pairing it with the strongest local insight to bring to life a magical and compelling campaign.”

A mock-up of the campaign’s marketing asset on an HK tram shared by the agencies

Meanwhile, Max McKeon, Special Group Australia’s creative director, added, “Introducing the ‘Tonight, I’ll Be Eating’ brand platform in Hong Kong is in itself incredibly exciting, but to do so with Uber Eats offering up one of their biggest brand assets – celebrity – to all the local restaurants in the region makes this an especially unique way to celebrate Hong Kong culture.”

Aside from Hong Kong, the TIBE campaign has also been launched in Asian markets Japan and Taiwan. In September last year, Uber Eats and Special Group saw one of its biggest celebrity partnerships when it featured Sci-Fi icons, Star Wars’ Mark Hamill, and Star Trek’s Patrick Stewart for the campaign’s debut in the US and Canada. The ad took audiences by storm due to the spot igniting each of the franchises’ fans’ cultural debate of which is the better franchise. 

The integrated campaign in Hong Kong will air across TV, social, OOH, digital, and through restaurant partners. 

Hong Kong – Uber Eats in Hong Kong has expanded to Tsing Yi, an island in the urban area of Hong Kong.

Elisa Janiec, general manager of Uber Eats Hong Kong, said that they are thrilled to introduce Uber Eats to Tsing Yi, as they believe that delicious food is a convenience that everyone across Hong Kong should enjoy.

“My team and I are committed to investing with our partners and the F&B community to unlock more innovative and delightful food choices for Hong Kongers,” said Janiec.

The island Tsing Yi is packed with eateries and food stores. Uber Eats will be bringing a line-up of local favorites such as local cha chaan teng from Bun Hui Cafe or Daniel’s Restaurant, Chiu Chow deli from Yummy Yummy, and chicken pot from Luk Kee, among others. All-time favorites are also available, such as Saizeriya Italian Restaurant, Nam Kee, Tamjai, and Bafang Dumpling. Meanwhile, as food delivery grew to become an integral part of Hong Kongers’ daily lives amid limited physical contact, Uber Eats has observed a shift in its users’ eating habits. 

Hong Kong recently celebrated 2021’s stay-at-home Chinese New Year holiday last February 12 to 16, and during the celebration, Uber Eats recorded a 50% year-on-year increase in order volume. 

Furthermore, as Hong Kongers further adapts to the new normal, the food delivery platform has observed an 800% increase in healthy food orders during the dine-in restriction periods, as people are ordering more from vegan, vegetarian-friendly, and healthy restaurants available on the app. Another consumer behavior shows on Uber Eats’ data, where Hong Kongers are starting supper at 6:00 pm, and are generally ordering 22% more food items to enjoy with their family in the comfort of their own home, which employees rarely do before the new work-from-home set-up.