Uber Rebranding

In the past, Uber had been criticized for questionable business practices and ethics, and the company is still trying a turnaround. They hired Dara Khosrowshahi in August 2017 and distanced themselves from founder Travis Kalanick.

Now Uber has a new branding initiative. The marketing campaign, "Doors Are Always Opening,” is credited to 72andSunny, a Los Angeles firm.

A video shows significant events in people’s lives—giving birth, meeting your partner’s parents—and how people rely on Uber.

Paulie Dery, Uber's executive creative director, describes the objectives as follows:

"What we are really saying is opportunity happens everywhere if you are willing to move. You know what happens when you sit still? Nothing. And I think that is a great Uber story. We've always had a certain amount of hustle and belief that movement creates something better for everybody, and that's really at the center of the idea."

The company also has a new logo: simply the company name, which insiders hope will become a verb, like Google.

Discussion:

• Uber’s previous campaign was called “Moving Forward” to distinguish the company’s controversial past with its future. How well do you think this new campaign will accomplish its objectives?

• What’s your view of the new logo, simply the company name?