Let’s say you consider travelling to your friend’s house at any time. What would come to mind? You’ll likely take Uber. But how did this ride-sharing space attract and pull the heartstrings of its consumers? Started in San Francisco, Uber created a buzz and strategically did branding that helped them reach globally.
Uber has been a pioneer in the ride-sharing app industry, continually expanding its services, gaining more than 161 million active users today. The offering not only includes ride-hailing but also food delivery and freight transportation.
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Some of the branding strategies have taken Uber to new heights while presenting an innovative and user-friendly app to share a ride. Here, we distilled down the key aspects of Uber branding that give Uber the status of a $186 billion company.
Meaningful Visuals identity
Uber develops a brand identity that makes it unforgettable through strategic efforts. First of all, even the brand name “Uber” is not a random pick; it’s selected intentionally. It’s a German word meaning super or above. It portrays the brand’s purpose as providing a service that surpasses quality.
Now, look at the visuals that boost Uber’s value and recognition.
Logo
First, the logo was introduced in 2010, featuring a bold U and C sans-serif font monogram. In addition to that, the brand name UberCab appeared below the monogram.
After dropping the ” C ” from the brand name, Uber simply removed the “C” and repositioned “Uber” above the “U” in 2011. This is a minimal tweak but an important change to the overall look of the brand.
In 2012, Uber updated its logo and turned it into a symbol of luxury and innovation. The new logo featured a thinner, luxurious U within a black and grey square, with extended letters that suggested a path or road.
Later, in 2016, Uber transitioned from a luxurious design to a more futuristic visual logo. Uber’s logo radically replaced the “U” with an abstract pattern. This design conveyed motion, scientific precision, and futuristic tech aspirations.
Afterwards, In 2018, Uber returned to a basic, simple yet effective logo; it’s the same logo you see today everywhere. The company name, with a custom font Uber Move, takes inspiration from sans-serif fonts that are used in traffic signs. This dynamic logo brings so much clarity to Uber’s mission, innovation, and progress.
Color
Primarily, Uber uses white and black that convey the platform’s accessibility and simplicity. Apart from these primary colors, Uber also uses blue and names it safety blue to use it in moments of support and security when interacting with users.
In addition to that, Uber also pulls transportation colors as secondary colors, such as Uber green, yellow, red, orange, brown, and purple. These colors are used in illustration, photography, and products to maintain the brand’s strength and meaning.
Typography
The font family that Uber uses in branding is Uber Move. It goes along with three different typefaces – Uber Move Display, Uber Move Text, and Uber Move Mono.
It delivers a clear, logical information structure, improving the readability and scannability of the user interface.
Imagery
Uber is about moving people ahead, so the brand widely uses illustration, motion design, icons, and real-life photography of consumers with the brand to reflect it.
Moreover, Uber developed a brand guideline that helps the brand to stay consistent with its visual and message on all communication platforms.
Set its mission, vision, and values.
Uber’s Brand vision, mission, and values are the three essences of branding, guiding every other decision the brand makes.
Uber’s mission puts a spotlight on what a brand is setting out to do.
“We ignite opportunity by setting the world in motion.”
This statement serves as a guide for Uber and the brand to focus on designing economic opportunities for riders and merchants on and off the road. And facilitate people in providing reliable movements that connect them and give access to deliveries.
Uber vision states the future impact the brand wants to have on the world.
“We reimagine the way the world moves for the better.”
Like one of the aspects of Uber’s brand vision is its commitment to sustainability, Uber is dedicated to becoming a fully electric, zero-emission platform by 2040. The brand took the pledge to tackle the challenges of climate change as the largest mobility platform. To fulfill it, Uber Green offers rides so people can move in cities in electric cars, in addition to working with NGOs to achieve the zero-emission goal.
Moreover, Uber’s brand Values are what lead the company’s operations, and the brand defines them precisely. The values that guide the brand’s actions are:
- Go get it
- Trip obsessed
- Build with heart
- Stand for safety
- See the forest and the trees
- One Uber
- Great minds don’t think alike
- Do the right thing
Direct Brand voice and Persistent messaging
Uber’s brand voice depicts its unique personality that is confident, optimistic, simple, and direct. It reflects its mission of providing accessible and efficient transportation.
Uber consistently uses the same tone of voice through all its communications, such as social media, website, blog posts, emails, and advertisements.
At the beginning, Uber used the tagline “Everyone’s Private Driver” to communicate the idea that users can experience an on-demand car service that is accessible to everyone through a smartphone.
Another message that Uber used for years is “Move the way you want.” It highlights the flexibility the brand offers in selecting rides. Like it gives freedom to choose the desired ride from its wide range of services that the
- UberX (affordable option)
- Uber Comfort (newer cars with extra legroom)
- Uber Black (high-end vehicle rides with professional drivers)
- Uber XL (for larger groups)
- Uber Green (Sustainable rides in electric vehicles).
Uber also offers Uber Copter and Uber Boat in select cities, which travel by sea and air, primarily available in Sorrento, Italy. New York City, the River Thames in London. You can see Uber is following its mission to bring opportunities through movement.
The brand shares the real-life user experience from every type of ride it offers. By this means, it develops a meaningful connection with its customers.
Uber greatly relies on social media to engage with customers and boost brand recognition. Here, the brand shares real-life moments of consumers’ experiences with Uber, which come with convenience, safety, and fun.
The brand’s current tagline, “On our way,” portrays the joy and happiness of knowing that a user’s ride is en route or a delivery is on the way. By all means, the brand connects with users so that they are there to show up for you in life’s most significant moments.
Customer-driven approach
Uber gives its consumers a story to tell their friends and family. Initially, when it was launched in San Francisco, it created a hype, and that was the consumers’ word of mouth reference to its services, broadening its reach in other cities and across the globe.
Until now, Uber has heavily relied on word of mouth to sustain its brand. As time goes on, social media users grow, and Uber takes advantage of word-of-mouth from its social media branding strategies. After all, it’sn’t tough to get on consumer talk if you offer a great experience.
As Uber ensures consistency and recognition through its unified brand strategy across all Uber products, including
- Uber Eats (food delivery)
- Uber Freight (logistics)
- Uber AI Solutions (data platform for AI development).
For instance, when Uber Eats launched, the existing brand recognition and word of mouth helped in brand awareness. In essence, word of mouth is a win-win in all Uber service platforms.
Moreover, Uber introduced a referral program that allows users to invite friends via social media to drive with Uber, earning an extra amount. This program created viral and rapid growth for the brand.
Final Thoughts
Uber branding helps the company dominate its competitors while expanding its global presence. Its striking visuals, mission, vision, core values, consistent messaging to bring positivity, and word of mouth all play a role in making Uber as big as it is today. Though it’s not like that’s done for the branding, it’s a continuous effort to keep reimagining the ways so the world moves better over time.
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