uberPOOL — BBH NY

Work done during Griffin Farley’s Beautiful Minds: a strategy bootcamp hosted by BBH NY

The Brief

0.39% of daily NYC trips are with uberPOOL. Grow uberPOOL usage to 2% of total NYC travel in the next 12 months.

Quantified

Out of all 8.6 million daily forms of transit in NYC, we need 172,000 to be with uberPOOL.

The Challenge

Uber has built a brand by becoming the “chauffeur” of ride-sharing. The uberPOOL offering completely contradicts this perception of exclusivity and self-importance.

uberPOOL = more time, more inconvenience, and more small talk.

Out of all the barriers to take an uberPOOL, the unavoidable fact of sharing it with a stranger is the biggest hindrance.

Consumer - The Lonely Loyalists

The Lonely Loyalists are single male and female young professionals living in New York for < a year. Their ambitions in the workplace are second to none. Yet as the work day comes to an end, and they make their way home, a desire of belonging fills them. Ironically it’s overwhelming to find ones place in such a dense forest of culture; a paralysis of offerings and opportunity. When the Lonely Loyalist takes the subway, he and she spark up a conversation whenever the chance arises. These are few and far between, as the average New Yorker views the subway as either a sideshow or a moment of calm introspection. This leaves the Lonely Loyalist craving something beyond their office mates.

The Insight

Feeling lonesome amongst 8.6M other New Yorkers is strangely common. A brief conversation with a stranger can leave one feeling more connected to their city and fellow man.

The Strategy

The way our consumer and the majority of New Yorkers get around is via the subway. To most this form of transit is completely fine. But the Lonely Loyalist is seeking more from everyday life. Why not have an option where you’ll get where you need to go and also have the chance to meet a fellow New Yorker. Targeting the subway with messages of our mission to “make an empty seat feel like a missed opportunity” will make our consumer really wonder what they’re maybe missing out on. Studies show that contrary to expectations, people are happier after a conversation with a stranger. Small talk can make big changes.

uberPOOL Manifesto

uberPOOL is more than a vessel taking you from point A to point B. It’s a vehicle that can bring the unknown to light in the shape of your fellow New Yorker; a stranger who cherishes human contact just as you do. The ride isn’t about making a new best friend. It’s about the inescapable story and the brief human interaction that uberPOOL can foster. Imagine a New York where an empty seat is a missed page of your life story.