The times they are A-Changin'
The challenge
Uber entered the lucrative Saudi Arabian market just as social media and influencer marketing had become the marketing go-to. However in 2016, best practices needed to be established early on so as to create a sustainable model for content that works for the brand so as to reach its different objectives in an optimal and engaging manner. We needed to create a road map across the that would equally play an important role in Saudi Arabia.
Our strategy & work
We mapped out influencer activity over social media for Uber KSA across three levels.
Firstly, across hero campaigns where influencer activity mirrors and elevates the campaign messaging so as to increase awareness and perception.
Secondly, across hub content that is highly tactical and brand-centric, and finally across hygiene content that is always on. Furthermore, we created tools to make always-on content engaging as opposed to merely present.
We leveraged the brand’s international equity so as to impact local behavior, adapting the brand voice to reflect the voice of the people. This took the form of content creation via influences across key pillars: modernity, women empowerment, employment and entertainment.
We created a range of different content that tackled different societal issues and hot topics. A key issue was pushing for locals to consider becoming Uber drivers in a society that is notoriously status conscious and typically eschews these types on “low-brow” jobs in favor of employing low-paid migrant workers.
We worked with influencers long-term, reducing our costs while increasing believability and creating a symbiotic relationship – where relevant content was created that benefitted both the influencers and the brand’s needs.
