Case study on Uber

Uber Technologies Inc. (as known as Uber) is a peer-to-peer ridesharing, taxi

cab, food delivery, bicycle-sharing, and transportation network company (TNC)
headquartered in San Francisco, California, with operations in 785 metropolitan areas
worldwide. Its platforms can be accessed via its websites and mobile apps. Uber has been
prominent in the sharing economy, so much so that the changes in industries as a result of it
have been referred to as Uberisation. Uber is estimated to have 100 million worldwide
users and a 69% market share in the United States.
The Uber app is itself a channel for Uber to reach out to people. It might seem strange
but it is a fact that Uber has created a strong demand for its app. It has become the need of
people to download the app and use Uber services.

Earlier people used to wave to taxis while standing on the road edge in order to stop
them and have a ride. But Uber has changed the situation as now you can have a taxi at your
location with a tap on your smartphone. Hence for Uber, the product itself is the best channel
to reach out to people.

Besides, the channel used by Uber is through posting the advertisements in the places
likes restaurants, shopping malls or hospitals. Uber was quick to understand that people often
had to make arrangements to go back home after a party. Therefore, Uber offered its services
at these places in the city. Anyone who availed the service became a fan of uber and made the
word spread through word of mouth advertising.

Another common channel captured by Uber is sports events. A lot of sports events take
place and Uber was the first taxi company to reach out to masses by offering discounts to
people when they book a ride to the event or while coming back home after the event. This
strategy again acted as an accelerant as Uber was able to create the hype by letting people
travel back home easily in a VIP manner by skipping the hassle of getting a random taxi on
the road.  

Not only that, Uber has involved itself in some eye-catching stunts. No, not car or bike
stunts, but some great marketing stunts like ice-cream trucks. Being a cab company, uber
launched a motorcycle pick up service in Paris, a mariachi-band delivery service in San
Francisco and some other attractive services in various cities. Uber recently launched Uber
eats to deliver food from local restaurants. Everything that Uber did to grab eyes of its target
audience was welcomed by the people which ultimately led to word of mouth advertising.