Uber and Special have launched a Hong Kong campaign starring Cantopop singer-songwriter Gareth T, giving him a chance to finish the love confession his hit song never let him complete.
The campaign introduces Uber’s new platform, “Keep Doing What You Do,” which shows that once a ride is booked, the minutes before it arrives are the rider’s to use.
The hero film takes inspiration from Gareth T’s hit song “早到的u” (Your Ride Is Here), in which an early-arriving Uber cuts short his romantic confession. In the ad, Uber gives Gareth a second chance and three uninterrupted minutes before his ride arrives to say everything he never got to say.
What begins as a confession escalates into a Cantopop spectacle. Directed by Sweetshop’s Jesse James McElroy, the ad culminates in Gareth levitating above the restaurant, singing in the rain, flanked by doves and wielding a sword.
“As Hong Kong’s ride-hailing category matures, Uber’s focus has shifted from competing with street-hailing to demonstrating the broader benefits of e-hailing,” said Celia Garforth, Chief Strategy Officer Asia, Special.
“This new platform shows how the certainty of knowing when your ride will arrive gives people the freedom to make the most of every minute.”
“It was a lot of fun to build on a song about Uber that Hong Kong already knew and loved,” said Lisa Fedyszyn and Jonathan McMahon, Chief Creative Officers, Special.
“Rewriting it with Hong Kong lyricist Wyman Wong, and turning it into an Uber campaign was delightfully meta. Underneath it all is a simple benefit: when you know when your ride is expected to arrive, those three minutes are yours to use however you want.”
“This shift in strategy comes at the perfect time for Uber Hong Kong,” said Toga Leung, Head of Marketing, Uber Mobility Hong Kong.
“We love how, at its core, this platform and the launch campaign speaks to a cultural value that resonates so strongly with Hongkongers: efficiency and the smart use of time. And working with such a cultural star like Gareth T was the perfect way to launch.”
The campaign also includes two further films showing Hongkongers making use of the three minutes before their Uber arrives, including a woman taking a moment to hold her cat and a father switching off appliances around the house before the family heads to the airport.
“This platform opens up endless opportunities for entertainment,” said James Sexton and Harry Neville-Towle, Creative Directors, Special.
“We loved exploring all the real – and completely ridiculous – things Hongkongers suddenly have ‘just enough time to do’ before their Uber arrives… especially the art of cat huffing.”
The campaign launches with a 60-second hero film, supported by 30-second and 15-second edits, social content, contextual creative, out-of-home, online video and digital audio.
Credits
Client: Uber Taxi
Director Of Marketing, APAC: Ally Doube
Head of Marketing, Hong Kong: Toga Leung
Marketing Lead, Hong Kong: Charmaine Wu
Assistant Brand Manager, Hong Kong: Venus To
Creative Director, APAC: Adam Ledbury
Media Lead, Hong Kong: Victoria Etheridge
Head of Communications: Candy Lui
Lead Creative Agency: Special
Partners/CEO: Lindsey Evans & Cade Heyde
Partners/CCO: Julian Schreiber & Tom Martin
CCOs: Lisa Fedyszyn & Jonathan McMahon
Creative Directors: James Sexton & Harry Neville-Towle
Team Lead: Tim Leathart
Business Director: Megan McIntosh
Chief Strategy Officer, Asia: Celia Garforth
Group Strategy Director: Heather Sheen
Creative & Production Partner: Omelette Company Limited
Creative Director/Founder: Vivian Fung
Creative Director/Founder: Charles Hau
Copywriter: Jonathan Lee
Producers: Anita Chan, Benny Fung
Executive Producer: Isa Wan
Talent Manager: Fiona Lam
Film Director & Production
Production House: The Sweetshop Asia
Director: Jesse James McElroy
Executive Producer: Penny Woo & Jennifer Crabb
Director of Photography: Aaron McLisky
Producer: Jess Bell
Assistant Producer: Sean Lim
Production Service: Spur Link
Line Producer: Pat Lui
Production Manager: Tim Fung
Production Coordinator: Chris Luk
1st Assistant Director: Willson Wong
2nd Assistant Director: John Chiu
Action Director: Jack Wong
Art Director: Billy Li
Props Master: Cheung Wai Chuen
Set Build: Wai Kang Production
Styling: Vann Kwok
Hair Stylist: Dave Ng
Mark Up Artist: Chloe Mak
Casting Director: Kathy Lam
1st AC / Focus Puller: Kelvin Lam
Gaffer: Wong Man Pan
Key Grip: Ken Liao
Q take: Lee Chung Ming
DIT: Elaine Lee
Post Production
Offline Editor: Laurence Van Camp (ARC)
VFX & Online: Heckler Shanghai
Colourist: Ben Eagleton
Sound Designer and Mixing: Fvse Singapore
Music Production
Song Title: 早到的U Your Ride is Here
Composer: 湯令山，葉崇恩
OP: Warner Music Hong Kong Limited
Music Arranger: Fves Singapore
Sub-Author: 黃偉文 Wyman Wong
Photography/KV Director & Production
Production House: One Twenty-three
Photographer: Steve Wong
Lighting Gaffer: Kevin Cheung
Photo assistants: Yuk Kan, Sammy Lo, Jason Li
Social Director & Production
Director: Hanley Chu
Producer: Mag Lam
Production Assistant: Tony Luk, Sparrow, KingJin Cheung
Director of Photography: Nic Ko
Assistant Camera: Walter Lai
Gaffer: Ng Tsz Wai
Lighting Assistance: Mk Li, Ho Ho Cheung
Art Director: Lele Cheung
Art Team: Fanshu.F, To Tsz Kin, Felice Ho
Stylist: Cherie Kong
Styling Assistant: Ranci
On Set Stylist: Fanshu.F
Make up artist: Kinny Lee
Hair Stylist: Louis Lam
Audio: Tam Siu Chung
Editor: Dundo Dis
Motion Graphic: Scarlett
Colorist: Dundo Dis
BTS Photographer: Ting Chun Hei
PR Media relation and event management
PR and Event Company: Sparkling Code Plus Limited
PR Project Director/Founder: Jeff Man
Social Media Project Director/Founder: Scott Chan
PR media and Event Management: Louie Tsang, Mars Kwok, Ivy Chau, Yuki Wu, Vicky Ho
Media Agency: EssenceMediacom
Adrian Lee
Alvin Lau
