UBER RESERVE LAUNCH: NEW ZEALAND CITIES

CONTEXT: Uber Reserve was launched across several New Zealand cities, introducing a new pre-booking feature that required both awareness and behavioural shift from on-demand usage.

OBJECTIVE: Drive initial adoption of Uber Reserve by encouraging first-time usage, while educating users on how and when to use the feature.

APPROACH: Executed a launch campaign combining a $10 off incentive with clear, educational messaging to reduce friction and build understanding of the product. Focused communications on practical use cases—such as airport trips, early morning rides, and time-sensitive travel—to demonstrate the value of planning ahead. Supported this with targeted placements to reach users most likely to benefit from scheduled rides.

IMPACT: Successfully drove strong Reserve conversion and early adoption across launch cities, establishing a solid foundation for ongoing usage of Uber Reserve.

INSIGHT: For new product features, pairing incentives with clear education is critical to changing behaviour by helping to reduce friction and initial uncertainty. This was key to driving initial uptake as it empowered users to feel confident trying a new behaviour, while reinforcing when and why the product is valuable.