Heetch: Uber Heetch
Heetch, a local Parisian ride-hailing app, needed to strengthen its relationship with local residents amidst the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics. The challenge was to maintain service quality for locals while 15 million tourists arrived, without alienating either group. The goal was to increase local loyalty and market share.
Creative Idea
Heetch advertised its competitor, Uber, to tourists to preserve service for loyal locals.
Heetch launched a counter-intuitive campaign, "Choose Uber," advertising its biggest competitor to tourists visiting Paris for the 2024 Olympics. This bold move aimed to keep Heetch's services available for loyal local Parisians, demonstrating a commitment to community over short-term profit and strengthening long-term brand preference.
The Trojan Horse That Hijacked Uber's Own Fleet
A Masterclass in Guerilla Logistics
The original 2021 "Uber Heetch" campaign remains a benchmark for "Small Budget, Big Idea" strategies. With a production budget of only €15,000, the brand avoided traditional media buys entirely. Instead, they printed 12,000 custom meal boxes and distributed them to Parisian restaurants. By launching on a Sunday night - the peak window for food delivery - Heetch ensured that Uber’s own drivers hand-delivered competitive advertising directly into the homes of their target audience. This "Trojan Horse" tactic generated 7.8 million media impressions with zero media spend, resulting in a 23% increase in brand preference.
Prioritizing Locals Over Olympic Gold
For the 2024 "Choose Uber" sequel, Heetch and BETC Paris took a counter-intuitive gamble by spending their budget to drive tourists toward their competitor. The strategy was designed to protect the user experience for loyal Parisians during the Olympic influx. The campaign featured OOH ads in 12 different languages placed at airports and stadiums, equipped with QR codes that linked directly to the Uber app download page.
The Long Game of Brand Loyalty
The results of the 2024 pivot were unprecedented for the brand. While foreign client growth was throttled to just 3%, rides from local French clients jumped by 37%. This led to the best three-month sales period in the company’s nine-year history. As Olivier Aumard, ECD at BETC Paris, noted, the brand chose "loyalty over money," which solidified Heetch’s identity as the "pro-driver" and "pro-France" alternative. This was further emphasized by a cheeky "UBEETCH" promo code stunt, which mockingly increased Heetch prices by 23% to match Uber’s higher rates.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
Heetch possessed a strong local presence and a commitment to serving areas beyond central Paris, unlike its global competitor.
Category
Ride-sharing apps typically engage in fierce competition, aggressively targeting all available customers, especially during major events.
Customer
Local Parisians desired reliable, accessible ride-sharing services and appreciated brands that genuinely prioritized their community needs.
Culture
The Paris 2024 Olympics created a massive influx of tourists, generating immense demand and potential service strain.
Company
Heetch possessed a strong local presence and a commitment to serving areas beyond central Paris, unlike its global competitor.
Category
Ride-sharing apps typically engage in fierce competition, aggressively targeting all available customers, especially during major events.
Strategy:
Prioritize long-term local loyalty by strategically diverting short-term, high-demand customers to competitors.
Customer
Local Parisians desired reliable, accessible ride-sharing services and appreciated brands that genuinely prioritized their community needs.
Culture
The Paris 2024 Olympics created a massive influx of tourists, generating immense demand and potential service strain.
Strategy:
Prioritize long-term local loyalty by strategically diverting short-term, high-demand customers to competitors.
Results
During the 15 days of the Olympics, Heetch experienced only a 3% jump in short-term foreign clients. However, they saw a massive 37% jump for French clients during the same period. This led to their best July, August, and September sales months for the past 9 years. The campaign resulted in "our biggest shift ever versus Uber in terms of brand preference." The campaign also generated significant earned media and social media engagement, with a tweet from 'Contagious' stating: "To make sure tourists wouldn't saturate its car fleet, @Heetch pushed them in the arms of its competitor."
+37%
French clients jump
Best sales months
for past 9 years
Biggest shift ever
in brand preference vs Uber
Strategy Technique
Stake a Contrarian POV
Heetch boldly chose loyalty over profit, a contrarian stance in a competitive market. By advertising Uber, they visibly prioritized locals, differentiating themselves against industry norms.
Explore Technique
Creative Technique
Reverse Expectations
Heetch defied conventional marketing by promoting its rival, Uber. This unexpected action reversed audience expectations, creating buzz and highlighting Heetch's unique loyalty strategy.
Explore Technique
Craft Breakdown
This campaign's craft is exceptional in its bold, counter-intuitive strategy and its execution through clever copywriting and integrated media, turning a potential weakness into a significant brand strength.
The decision to prioritize local loyalty over short-term profit, executed through a seemingly self-sabotaging campaign, built immense goodwill and long-term value, creating a 'David and Goliath' narrative.
The core message 'Choose Uber' is a brilliant, provocative inversion that immediately grabs attention and effectively communicates Heetch's unique brand values and commitment to locals.
The strategic placement of competitor ads in tourist-heavy areas, combined with multi-language support and influencer amplification, maximized reach and impact for the intended audience.
The consistent use of bold pink, clear typography, and prominent QR codes across diverse media creates a cohesive, eye-catching, and instantly recognizable visual identity for the campaign.
The campaign's magic comes from the powerful synergy between a daring brand strategy, provocative copywriting, and a well-executed media plan that collectively created a memorable and highly effective narrative.
