Yes, dear readers, there was a time when putting dinner together meant actually having to leave the house. Uber Eats and creative agency Special revisit that distant (and some might say dark) era with ‘Phew,’ a new brand platform built around the relief of on-demand delivery.
The campaign’s hero film travels back to a time “B.U.E.” (Before Uber Eats), following Sam and Ollie in 2013 as they try to make dinner, forcing them to track down ingredients the old-fashioned way. Their journey through the B.U.E. era features cultural nostalgia, including cameos from LMFAO’s Redfoo and a pre-stardom Troye Sivan.
Back then, dropping a home-cooked meal on the floor meant heading back to the grocery store. These days…no more.
According to the agency, ‘Phew’ shifts the focus from utility to the emotional value of on-demand convenience. The platform was informed by ethnographic research that found people still feel guilt about paying for some forms of convenience despite the pressures of everyday life.
“Over the last four years, we’ve built incredible familiarity around the promise to ‘get anything’ delivered to your door,” said Nicole Bardsley, Director of Marketing, Uber Eats ANZ.
“With ‘Phew’, we’re tapping into something deeper – the emotional relief of this convenience. Special has once again delivered a platform that reflects how Australians live today, combining sharp cultural insight with high-craft entertainment.”
“‘Phew’ represents a critical strategic shift for the brand,” said Celia Garforth, Special CSO (Uber APAC).
“As the on-demand food delivery category has matured over the past decade, they no longer need to drive basic awareness of what they do, but instead focus on why it brings value to people’s lives. Uber should be applauded for the brave simplicity of owning a single, highly distinctive word – in fact, sound! – that exactly captures the essence of how we want people to feel when they think of the brand.”
“Evolving a brand platform after four incredible years of ‘Get Almost, Almost Anything’ is a rare creative challenge,” said Simon Gibson and Nils Eberhardt, Special ECDs.
“‘Phew’ allows us to pivot from functional awareness to emotional connection. Transporting people back to 2013 was a fun way to remind everyone just how friction-heavy life was before on-demand delivery became second nature.”
The integrated national campaign will roll out across TV, BVOD, online video, YouTube, social, radio, digital audio, OOH, DOOH, CRM, custom high-impact special builds, and consumer activations.
Credits
Uber Eats
Senior Director, Head of International Marketing: Lucinda Barlow
Director APAC Marketing: Ally Doube
Director of Marketing, ANZ: Nicole Bardsley
Sr. Marketing Manager, ANZ: Rebecca Macciolli, Dan Greenberg, Tom Walter
Global Creative Director, APAC: Adam Ledbury
Media Lead, APAC: Rob Maddison
Legal, ANZ: Michael Coutts
Communications Manager, ANZ: Joshua O’Connor
Social Media Manager, ANZ: Haley El
Head of International Marketing Strategy: Josh Pickstone
Special
CEOs/Partners: Lindsey Evans & Cade Heyde
CCOs/Partners: Tom Martin & Julian Schreiber
Executive Creative Directors: Simon Gibson & Nils Eberhardt
Creative Directors: Joe Ranallo & Will Winter-Irving
Creative Team: Hannah McCowatt & Laura Grimshaw
Managing Directors: Tori Lopez & Lauren Portelli
Team Leads: Laura Little & Rachel McEwen
Senior Business Director: Charlie Keeble
Business Managers: Tamara Young & Annabel Malouf
Chief Strategy Officer (Uber APAC): Celia Garforth
Senior Strategy Director: Henry Bilson
National Head of Production: Tash Johnson
Executive Producer: Tania Jeram
Social Producer: Olivia Jeavons
Stills Producer: Di Williams
Head of Design: Adam Shear
Designer: Hamish Kennelly
Production Assistant: Serina King
Senior Video Editor: Aleks Manou
AI Artist and Creator: Nathaniel Kiwi
National Head of Social (PR): Maddie Marovino
Creative Strategy Director (PR): Kate Wilkinson
Senior Social Media Manager (PR): Niamh Thompson
Production Company: 3and7
Director: Steve Ayson
Cinematographer: Sam Chiplin
Producer: Allison Lockwood
1st AD: Jeremy Fitzgerald
Production Designer: Nicki Gardiner
Costume Designer : Joanna Mae Park
Casting Director: Natalie Harvie – Citizen Jane
Post Production
ARC
Edited by: Jack Hutchings
Assisted by: Jack Charter
Coloured by: Trish Cahill
Finished by: Jesse Meha and Viv Baker
Finish Assisted by: Tina Giannoulis
Produced by: Sally Quade
EP: Winnie O’Neil
Sound: Studio Tonic
Lead Sound Designer: Cameron Milne
Sound Producer: Luci Doling
Social:
Director: Matt Sav
Cinematographer: Trudi Gultom
Camera Assistant: Christine Anderson
Gaffers: Tahira Donohoe-Bales & Deniz Celik (Maxed Out Films)
Lighting Assistant: Pat Lenzner
Sound Operator: Steve de Souza
Production Designer: Abbey Ling Thorley
Art Assist: Calum Wilson Austin
Stylist: Alex Greenhalgh
Offline Editor: Matt Sav & Stewart Arnott
Online Editor & VFX: Augusto Ketlika Jr.
Sound: Jackson Lister – Studio Tonic
Music Supervision: Level Two Music + Mayflower
Talent Agency: Mayflower
External Legal: CIE
Media Agency: EssenceMediacom
Retail Agency: RX
