MARK940 Assignment: Uber Marketing Communications Plan Analysis

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Uber's marketing communications plan. It begins with an executive summary highlighting Uber's position in the low-involvement informational quadrant according to the Rossiter-Percy Grid, and identifies Brand Loyal and Favorable Brand Switchers as key target audiences. The report delves into Uber's positioning strategy, strategic options, and key benefits, including speed, safety, and application usability, and presents a positioning statement. It further examines Uber's operations, competitive landscape, and the application of the five forces analysis, emphasizing benefits for drivers and customers. The report also details the application of the SMART criteria to develop action and communication objectives for various target audiences, including brand loyal, favorable brand switchers, new category users, other brand favorable and other brand loyal customers. Finally, it outlines a creative strategy for a marketing communications campaign aimed at repositioning Uber and expanding its usage scenarios with the tagline 'Get there with Uber' and the Remote Conveyor Model.

UBER TECHNOLOGIES INC.
QUADRANTS, BENEFITS AND POSITONING

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Uber Inc. is open to the end-users by enabling its easy access through company’s websites and
its mobile applications, open for all, be it iOS or Android smartphones. Uber categorizes in the
low-involvement informational quadrant by gaining popularity among its two major target
audiences according to the Marcoms study plan., that is Brand Loyal, users who already knows
the services offered by Uber and view the same optimistically and Favourable Brand Switchers,
users who are using the said services but might not be trusted as they easily switch over the
brand once they get a little cheap prices for the same. Uber to maintain its brand loyalty
campaigns by providing free rides to the users and following the positioning strategy in the
business. It analyses its customer using the SMART criteria which are Specific, Measurable,
Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound objectives of running business operations.
INTRODUCTION
UBER Technologies Inc. offering competent cab service at an ease for the people at large, is a
multinational transportation network company (TNC) of America having its headquarters in San
Francisco although operating worldwide. It offers various category of rides to its users such as
UberGo, UberXL and Uber Pool, depending upon the traveller’s needs. The company has
outshone in the idea of sharing economy by providing pocket friendly cab services. It offers
various category of rides to its users such as UberGo, UberXL and Uber Pool, depending upon
the traveller’s needs. To build healthy relations with the customers, Uber Inc. should enhance
their web page and the applications more to enable people of all age groups to avail the benefits
and enjoy hassle free travel. The company is a transportation company which entirely bases on
the online platform and helps people when they are stuck anywhere and at any time by providing
them 24x7 suppor.The company is also ready to help its customers without creating any nuisance
relating to social, personal or sensory.

Q 1. (1) Quadrant: Rossiter percy Grid is importantly as model of attitude, which shows how
the general customers elevate products or brands. The model involves two dimensions based on
the consumer’s attitude toward a brand or product. The two dimensions are involvement and
motivation, thereby involving four main sectors such as low-involvement transformational, low-
involvement informational, high involvement –transformational, and low involvement –
informational. The company that we are studying on, Uber is categorized in the low
involvement-informational quadrant. Depending upon the low involvement-informational
Quadrant is beneficial as there is a large no. of uber users who trust the company and feel free for
hassle free travel across. Travelling with Uber is not at risky as the rides are always guided by
the maps to reach their destination safely. Uber helps people when they are stuck anywhere and
at any time. Uber support is 24x7 ready to help its customers without creating any nuisance
relating to social, personal or sensory. This is the major reason why Uber falls under the low
involvement-informational quadrant.
(2) Two Target Audiences: Looking at the brand loyal audiences, when we pursue a market
communication plan, there are five main types of target audiences, named as Brand Loyal,
Favourable Brand Switchers, New Category Users, Another Brand Favourable and other Brand
Loyal. In the study of Marcoms Plan, we shall be choosing the two major target audiences such
as Brand Loyal and favourable brand switchers. Elaborating, Brand Loyal are those consumers
who are positively associated to a particular product clearly shown by their repetitive purchase of
the same even when they have options available in the market. To maintain such brand loyalty,
marketing campaigns are started. In this case the product with a greater brand name will only
survive in the competitive market as the loyal customers would only buy the product irrespective
of their prices.
The other target audience which we are discussing is Favourable Brand Switchers who are those
set of users who are easily swayed by the brand loyal category people if they get better available
options. Example- In case of Uber, suppose if we have multiple car riding applications providing

more offers, price and convenience, then the customers would easily be converted into brand
loyal audiences. In the present scenario more brands and products are coming into existence
thereby losing its traditionalism, being the primary reason of the brand switching through
consumer’s aspect of perception. (Miller, 2019)
(3) Positioning strategy, strategic options, and key
Benefit: Uber cab service comes under the public transportation category allowing the
passengers to share the rides for smooth and pocket-saving travel. When surveyed in Australia,
its main competitors are Taxify and Ola, both of which are similar application based cab service
provider and 13 Cabs which is a regular taxi service. Uber, in order to compete in market uses
the positioning strategy of providing cabs at cheaper prices by also striving for the betterment of
its service areas specifically cost, flexibility, qualtiy, service, speed and innovation. Such
positioning strategies consider all the strengths and weaknesses of the company. With the
calculations shown in Part A, it is clearly illustrated that the primary strategic options where the
Uber needs to compete are: speed and saftey measures and also the comfortable level of using
the Application. The survey in terms of these options clearly exhibits that Uber as a brand is
preferred above all the other applications. (Anon, 2019)
(4) Positioning Statement: The Brand Positioning statement of a company is a summarised
description of a company’s products, services and the target segment as given below:
“To experience ease and convenience when a car arrives at one’s location almost instantly with
one single tap of a button which ensures the passengers the safety in order to make sure that they
have a pleasant ride”.
Q 2. Uber is a transportation company which entirely bases on the online platform. Uber was
launched in the year 2009 in San Francisco, California, and then the business was expanded all
over the world. It is an international transportation company which uses an internet based
application for connection between the riders and the drivers of the ride. Uber also met lot of
competitors in its journey such as Taxify, 13 Cabs, Ola, etc. The key element that Uber needs to

follow is maintaining good relationship with the Government Policies of the country where the
business is set. With the advent of Uber, lot of job vacancies opened up for people who knows to
drive well. The Uber application is well designed for the use of both the drivers and the
customers of all age groups. Any company analyses the five major forces to acknowledge the
possible pros and cons of the business. The analysis for Uber in terms of these five forces are:
• Suppliers are the drivers of the cabs running under Uber
• Buyers , that is the consumers of the Uber cab service
• Substitute is the competitive application providing similar cab service as that of Uber.
• Competitors
• New Entrants.
The more specific Key Benefit Claims of using Uber Service are:
• Benefits for the Uber Drivers: With the Uber service gaining momentum, there is highly
positive implementation of the service. Most companies do not hire les qualified people
in their companies but Uber has widened the scope for such people by providing a
platform for working as driver with their collaboration thus creating a self-dignified
world for them. (Infinite Cab, 2019)
• Benefits for the Customers: The general public who succumb to the Uber rides for their
journey for daily work or leisure roaming are enjoying the benefits of the Uber cab
service. The company makes the within the travel easy and a pleasure for everyone. It
also enables variety of the payment modes which helps people even at the moments when
they are stuck somewhere cashless and are striving to reach to their desired location.
• High Quality Service: Uber consistently tires to maintain the quality of its services by
always supporting its customers a 24x7 available helpdesk with the live chat support by
its executive.
• Mouth to Mouth Publicity: The Company has strengthened its roots by offering many
free rides to the customers initially. By doing so, the company was successful in making
the general public habituated for the use of this cab service.

• Decent Pricing: Uber is very cheap in terms of the travel fares. Uber provides different
categories of cars to suit the pocket and needs of the customers. It enables the customers
to choose between the varieties like UberGo, UberXL and UberPool with different rates
per kms to meet the criteria of all class of people. (Bhasin, 2019)
Q 3. Normally, for the sake of personal development, and project management, SMART idea of
analysis is used.. SMART means Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound
perspectives of running business operations in an effective way.
Below given are the action and communication objectives for its 5 Target Audiences using
SMART technique suggestions:
• Brand Loyal- Uber, to begin with should first undergo a proper survey and measure in
terms of percentage, its brand loyal out of the total user population specifically as they
form the major contributors to the total revenues, and then action its media plan targeting
this category for around 3 months so that they feel even more clinged to the brand.
• Favourable Brand Switchers - Once the proportions have been measured for these
audiences, the company has to decide their proper communication and action objectives.
The research analysis carried out to analse the division of audiences of Uber, is
successful enough to assign a relevant plan for them. Since, brand switchers are those
who already prefer Uber, deserving more benefits to favour the brand.
• New Category Users –So as to attract new potential customers, for each user, the
company should target with specifically planned communication plans. For such
audiences, the relevant strategy would be more of generic such as flyers, radio
announcement, TV commercial, etc. As the brand needs to create it’s remembrance value
for them.
• Another brand favourable- This is the category of users, who have already developed
their perspective towards other brands preferring to Uber. Although it is a tough measure
to count the users, but the company should initiate atleast to keep a track on their
percentage to total market share before planning the new action and communicative

strategies. For this, the new undertaken plan should be laid out for a longer period so that
it can generate benefits of getting the preference of such audiences and remote conveyor
model of raising curiosity works best for such audiences. (Smart Insights, 2019)
• Other brand loyal- These are the ones who pay loyalty to other brand and shall need the
most time to get convinced to even try Uber hence they are allocated to be the toughest
sector audiences. Therefore, the communication plan should be designed in a way that
they keep encountering the pros of Uber comparative to other brands. Earned media and
paid media has outshown in getting the result from this segment. (Friesner, 2019)
Q 4.For marcoms campaign of Uber, a creative strategy needs to be developed and executed. The
car- sharing app Uber needs to develop its strategy in a way that it can break free from its image
of providing service as ‘the savoir of the night’. The campaign outlined below shall aim at
repositioning Uber as an app that shall be:
• Used for commuting,
• To and fro travels to airport
• Shops hopping/shopping
The tagline ‘Get there with Uber' has to be well established through the advertising campaign
designed. Using the Remote Conveyor Model, wherein the key benefits claim can be reiterated
and conveyed to the target audiences through humorous ads. In the model, to raise curiosity in
the minds of audiences a deeper cognitive thinking is completed. Metaphors or analogies are
used and also dramatization is done by linking the key benefit claim with an unrelated product,
service or situation. Lots of visualization effect is employed to leave stronger impacts in the
minds of audiences. There are mainly 4 quadrants wherein a brand falls into as a whole, being
low involvement-informational, low-involvement- transformational, high involvement-
informational and high-involvement-transformational. As Uber falls into low-involvement-
informational grid, that means it already has users who have been using it and are aware that
Uber is dependable, so they have to be less involved and only need information. Their use of
Uber is based out of a problem which is needed to reach somewhere. (Marcommnews.com, 2019)

Hence, to create informational brand awareness and to generate greater brand loyalty, Uber
should employ certain tactics which shall gain more acceptances for it. For the purpose, few
tactics are outlined below:
1. To be in line with getting local branding, the team can plan to offer special discounts at
the times of regional festivals, such as offering discount for sankranti, for raksha
bandhan, etc.
2. Celebrate Indian festivals by delivering kites, colours, gujiyas and dhol on request
Q 5. In order to implement the above discussed campaign, the following 2 drafts of
advertisements are suggested to be displayed in digital media such as television and internet on
YouTube:-
• Getting local in Uber- to give local and regional touch, the campaign shall have ads
wherein a celebrity shall play the role of a driver who is multi-linguistic and greets every
passenger in its language
• Uber at your service-To show that Uber is the most reliable when it comes to reaching
safe and in time, the advertisement shall have a group of friends who are dreaming at
night for an adventurous trip in Ladakh, however next morning all of them are blaming
each other. That shall be the first teaser ad with a caption at the end that “watch the
ending after 20 days”.20 days later the next ad shall follow which shows that they book
Uber to reach airport so that the whole dream of missing the flight doesn’t become true.
The ad will end with a tagline-“Any time-Anywhere-Uber at your service.”
Q 6. There are five target audiences types-brand loyal, favourable brand switchers, new
category users, another brand favourable and other brand loyal (Rossiter, Percy and Bergkvist
2018).For the purpose of marcoms, based off the surveys we categorize Uber to have mainly the
following 2 target audiences and shall explore the media strategy to be implemented for each:-
BRAND LOYAL-These users are the ones who are totally aware of Uber services and are
positive of the brand. They are major contributors of current and future sales of Uber and use its

services on a regular basis. Keeping these in mind, the media strategy for such audiences shall be
as follows:
• As Uber’s reach is already significantly there amongst brand loyal audiences, the media
strategy should involve digital platform such as advertising on TV at least once in a day
primarily and as well secondary option, the same advertisement can be rolled out in
YouTube as these audiences are mostly those who are spending their more time on
phones. The strategy should also include discount coupons to be added to existing users
based off the usage which creates brand preference for them.
FAVOURABLE BRAND SWITCHERS-Users who are already quite happy and have
favourable opinion of the brand and have potential to get easily converted to brand loyal
category are actually under this types. As they have the potential to increase revenues and
customer base for Uber, proper strategy has to be planned for these ones. They keep other service
providers apps also handy and compare for prices, availability and other similar factors and take
the decision, so in order to get them converted into loyal the below strategy is advised:
• First time users can be offered discounts or offer cards which lowers down the prices and
also they can be offered referral bonus so that it attracts more users and makes it cost
effective for them. Introducing local language drivers also inculcates the sense of
belonging among the users and shapes their preference. Running advertisement on
television and radios also shall reach target audience more and have the effect of greater
remembrance. (Uk.sagepub.com, 2019)
Q 7. PESO model takes four types of media- paid, earned, shared and owned and merges them
all together. In the case of Uber, the three channels from PESO model that should be put to use
are designed below:
a) PAID MEDIA-an advertisement /commercial on television, YouTube, Facebook
designed and planned as above shall be employee.
b) EARNED MEDIA-Getting a space in the most circulated newspapers of the region with
the upcoming upgrades or the newly introduced added facilities. Handling PR well
through earned media is also one of the essential ways for Uber.

c) OWNED MEDIA-Get brand loyal first to join company Twitter handles and issue blogs
which shall iterate the special functions introduced. It helps in having a control over the
content shared and establish greater connection with existing and potential audiences.
(Spin Sucks, 2019)
CONCLUSION:
Uber to maintain its brand loyalty campaigns by providing free rides to the users and
following the positioning strategy in the business. Uber is very cheap in terms of the
travel fares. Uber is a transportation company which entirely bases on the online
platform. Uber cab service was launched in the year 2009 in San Francisco, California,
and then the business was expanded all over the world. It is an international
transportation company which uses an internet based application for connection between
the riders and the drivers of the ride. Uber is the most helpful and useful source for
people to move to and from around work or leisure. The company constantly strives at
aiming for higher quality even if less in quantity, but proving its end users with the best
of the facilities.
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