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UberThe Unthinkable Ride


Problem

São Paulo, the fourth-largest city in the world, has struggled with decades of insufficient city planning for transportation growth, leaving its people to negotiate a daily battle for space on its streets. How could we raise awareness of this issue amongst a massive urban audience while inspiring them to adopt innovative transportation solutions?

Background

Since its arrival in Brazil, Uber has helped people find the best possible ways to get around the city, partnering with us to communicate its solutions.

Ambition

To reshape the conversation around transit through highly visible, temporary mobility activations designed to expose urban bottlenecks and inspire public demand for change.




IDEAThe Unthinkable
Ride

To mark ten years of reimagining transit in gridlocked São Paulo, Uber showcased two unprecedented ways to move. First, we revived the Pinheiros River, declared dead for 60 years, with a custom boat navigating its debris to unlock a forgotten 70km transit route. Second, we bypassed one of the city's worst bottlenecks with a 70-meter commuter slide. Together, these actions proved that even in the most congested spaces, the future of transportation lies in looking where no one else dares to.

Celebrating 10 years of Uber reinventing mobility in Brazil.



Role

Creative Strategy and Insight
01

Creative Strategy and Insight

Leaned into a clear contradiction: the world’s 4th largest city is trapped in traffic, while Uber is built on the freedom of movement.

Area mapping
02

Area mapping

Identified the areas most affected by traffic, the ones with the greatest potential to get people’s attention.

Boat and slide designs
03

Boat and slide designs

Designed the activations: two new transportation modes in the city to make them impossible to go unnoticed and 100% integrated with Uber's identity.

Experience development
04

Experience development

Turned both activations into events, so that people could safely experience the new transportation modes.

Influencers Integration
05

Influencers Integration

Mobilised influencers to experience the new attractions, scaling our message and driving mass awareness.




Result

The Uber Boat served to raise the subject in unimaginable ways, even entering the São Paulo mayoral debate as candidates proposed adopting it permanently. The success rippled nationwide, prompting enquiries from other state governments eager to replicate a solution born to spark the conversation. Simultaneously, the campaign drove Uber's best-ever week on TikTok and a 100% surge in positive brand sentiment.

  • 57.5m

    Impressions across platforms

  • +3000%

    Social media engagement

  • +4500

    People went down the slide


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