Uber had a superb week. It wasn’t simply due to a powerful earnings report that beat Wall Avenue’s expectations—however the long-running ride-sharing platform really turned a full-year profit for the first time ever. Consideration turns now to this weekend, when a high-priced, star-studded advert for its Uber Eats service will run throughout a Tremendous Bowl matchup between the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers.
The 60-second ad, that includes Mates alumni Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer together with David and Victoria Beckham—in addition to musicians Usher and Jelly Roll—doesn’t come low-cost: A 30-second spot in the course of the massive sport this yr prices $7 million, up from $900,000 three a long time in the past.
Is it price it? Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi believes so—however solely due to the ability of celebrities on social media.
“These big stars, they cost a lot, but they deliver a lot,” he told Bloomberg. He famous that the celebs use their very own social media accounts to amplify the advert’s message, which on this case is to do not forget that Uber Eats delivers groceries, flowers, and different issues along with restaurant meals.
The reminiscence theme underpins the advert. Schwimmer bumps into Aniston, who can’t bear in mind him regardless of working with him on certainly one of TV’s most profitable collection for 10 seasons. She then pretends to recollect him earlier than admitting that, no, she doesn’t.
Equally, the Beckhams have unlikely reminiscence lapses within the advert. “Remember when you used to be a pepper lady?” the soccer legend asks his spouse. The Spice Women alum solutions, “Wasn’t it the cinnamon sisters?” Their banter goes on to incorporate “paprika girls” and “basil babes.”
Jelly Roll forgets about his face tattoos, asking in shock whereas trying within the mirror, “Did someone doodle on my face?!” Usher, speaking to stagehands, forgets he’s enjoying on this yr’s halftime present, telling them wistfully, “I hope I get to play a halftime show someday, man.”
By itself, urged Khosrowshahi, the advert isn’t well worth the value—however with social media, it is smart.
“So it’s not just about the commercial, it’s about people talking about the commercials, it’s about the stars using their Instagram accounts to amplify the platform, et cetera,” he mentioned. “That’s why it’s working out for us. We think it’s worth the investment.”
The ride-hailing big has rebounded after getting crushed in the course of the pandemic, when it laid off hundreds of staff and shut dozens of places of work world wide. The associated fee-cutting prolonged into final month, with Uber asserting it’s shuttering Drizly, an alcohol-delivery enterprise it purchased for over $1 billion in 2021. Now it plans to as a substitute supply alcohol by way of the Uber Eats platform.
“It was a tough decision there,” Khosrowshahi mentioned this week. “Should we put the next marketing dollar behind Uber Eats—i.e., a Super Bowl commercial—or should we put [it] to introduce the Drizly brand to consumers?”
He added, “It didn’t make sense to keep investing in Drizly.”
