Here Bill Dennett of Uber Advertising explores how the Scottish Government and Republic of Media used everyday journeys and food orders to reach audiences with behaviour-change messaging – and why moments of attention matter for public sector campaigns…
In today’s fast-paced, instant-access world, consumer decisions happen in minutes, not months. Capturing genuine attention has become harder than ever, yet for public sector campaigns focused on critical behaviour change, attention isn’t just a metric, it’s a necessity. For the Scottish Government and Republic of Media, the challenge was reaching audiences with an important behaviour-change message in an increasingly crowded digital landscape.
Reaching People as They ‘Go’ and ‘Get’
People are constantly on the move, making everyday decisions as they go about their day. From booking a ride to the airport and commuting to the office, to ordering a weeknight meal, digital platforms are now embedded in many of these activities.
Uber was intrinsically built from, and helped shape, this exact instant-access economy. With over 200 million monthly active users and more than 40 million real-world trips and orders happening globally every day, Uber Advertising offers a unique view of how culture moves.
For ScotGov and Republic of Media, Uber Advertising provides a unique platform to seamlessly reach audiences as they ‘go’ and ‘get’ in a highly engaged, decision-ready mindset. By tapping into these daily routines, ScotGov’s campaign could deliver crucial public messaging at peak relevance, precisely when users are navigating their day.
The Attention Economy and Behaviour Change
Behaviour change campaigns are notoriously difficult to execute. It is not enough to simply rack up passive impressions; shifting how people act and think requires commanding real, sustained attention.
This was a key consideration for the ScotGov and Republic of Media campaign. Campaigns on Uber deliver 6.6x more attention seconds than conventional digital formats, achieving 50% ad recall in just 2.5 seconds. When users are tracking a driver’s arrival or waiting for a food delivery, their eyes are on the screen. For a behaviour change campaign, this high-impact, captive environment is exactly what is needed to ensure the message resonates and drives real-world action.
Republic of Media
“Reaching the right audience is only part of the challenge. We needed a strategy that would meet people when and where they are most receptive to a message. Working with Uber Advertising gave us the opportunity to connect with audiences in moments that were already part of their everyday life, while using the platform’s high-attention formats to drive impressive results.”
Martin Wilson, Account Director, Republic of Media
Bringing the Campaign to Life
The campaign used Journey Ads and Post-Checkout Ads to reach audiences at different stages of their interaction with Uber.
Journey Ads allowed the campaign to appear during a user’s journey, while Post-Checkout Ads provided an additional touchpoint after an order was completed.
The two formats gave the campaign different ways to engage users across the Uber experience, helping extend the message’s reach beyond a single interaction.
Examples of Journey Ad and Post-Checkout campaign:
Brand Safe by Default
For government campaigns, context and safety are paramount. Where a message appears can be just as important as who sees it.
Unlike social media feeds or open-web programmatic advertising, where a brand’s message can inadvertently appear next to unpredictable or controversial user-generated content, Uber offers a more controlled advertising environment.
For ScotGov and Republic of Media, this was key, helping to ensure the messaging was delivered in a trusted setting without the typical risks associated with digital media buys.
Life’s Movement, Brand Momentum
The collaboration between ScotGov, Republic of Media, and Uber Advertising highlights a clear shift in how public sector bodies can approach media planning. By stepping away from the clutter of traditional digital feeds and engaging consumers during the tangible moments of their day, campaigns can cut through the noise.
Ultimately, this partnership proves that meeting consumers in the moment works. By reaching people as they ‘go’ and ‘get,’ ScotGov successfully transformed life’s everyday movement into meaningful momentum for positive behaviour change.
