POPO KITCHEN

Short List
TitlePOPO KITCHEN
BrandUBER EATS
Product / ServicePOPO KITCHEN
CategoryG03. Single Market Campaign
EntrantGEOMETRY GLOBAL Hong Kong, HONG KONG SAR
Idea Creation GEOMETRY GLOBAL Hong Kong, HONG KONG SAR
Idea Creation 2 GEOMETRY MENA Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Credits

Name Company Position
Julian Hernandez Geometry Hong Kong Executive Creative Director
Mauricio Sanaiote Geometry Hong Kong Creative Director
Fanny Lau Geometry Hong Kong Creative Director
Carlos Bedoya Geometry Hong Kong Associate Creative Director
Shanice Cheung Geometry Hong Kong Art Director
Anastasia Simone Geometry Hong Kong Art Director
Alex DeMello Geometry Hong Kong Copywriter
Jay Lee Geometry Hong Kong Copywriter
Tom Norton Geometry MENA Copywriter
Ivan Abreu Blink Audiovisuals Director
James Beckerlegge Triple 8 Films Director
David Cardenas Sonido Azulado Musician
Yik Yan BOOM Editor
Ryan Gonsalves RG Creative Editor
Anne Vanlaeys Geometry Hong Kong Managing Director
Nick Walsh Geometry MENA Managing Director
Michelle Ip Geometry Hong Kong Business Director
Jennifer Wong Geometry Hong Kong Account Executive
Julian Delamain Geometry Hong Kong Brand Strategy Director
JS Foo Geometry Hong Kong Strategic Planner

Why is this work relevant for Brand Experience & Activation ?

Popo’s Kitchen provided Uber Eats’ customers with a unique food experience: this virtual restaurant allowed them to order signature dishes of local Popos (Grandmas) and learn the stories behind each one. These kinds of traditional, home-cooked Cantonese dishes have been disappearing in Hong Kong because people don’t have the time to cook, plus food delivery apps have made Western-style fast foods more accessible. So by activating the brand in a locally-relevant way, and providing a solution to this cultural problem, Popo’s Kitchen gave Uber Eats a powerful point of difference and improved the brand’s reputation in the market.

Background

Uber Eats was the latest food delivery app to launch in Hong Kong and badly needed a point of difference. Compounding the problem was the fact that Uber, the ride-sharing service of the same name, was made illegal in Hong Kong, complicating Uber Eats' reputation from the outset. Our objectives were to enhance Uber Eats’ reputation, differentiate it from its many competitors, and ultimately make it the most loved food delivery app amongst hardworking Hong Kongers.

Describe the creative idea (20% of vote)

We opened a virtual restaurant, “Popo’s Kitchen”, where Hong Kong Grandmothers prepared their signature dishes and we made them available only on Uber Eats. Popo’s Kitchen menu became a sanctuary for traditional family recipes with every dish telling a story. We also created short videos showing people how to make the dishes at home, further ensuring each recipes’ survival. By fulfilling Hong Kongers’ craving for traditional home-cooked foods and showing real appreciation for local food culture, Uber Eats proved they truly understood their audience, repairing their reputation and establishing themselves as the most loved food delivery app.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

Our strategy was to position Uber Eats as the solution to a local problem, and in the process address the negative perceptions of the parent brand. The local problem was this: home-cooked Cantonese cuisine was dying out. While food delivery services like Deliveroo and Foodpanda had brought unprecedented convenience and choice to people’s lives, they had done so at a cost. By increasing the availability of Western-style fast foods, they had led to a decline opportunities to enjoy traditional Cantonese dishes. We saw this as an opportunity. A way to anchor Uber Eats’ offer in the culture and concerns of local people and win their hearts (and stomachs).

Describe the execution (30% of vote)

As a virtual restaurant, Popo’s Kitchen was only reachable through the Uber Eats app or website. There, customers could order the Popos’ dishes and learn the stories behind each one. To raise awareness of Popo’s Kitchen and drive people to place an order, we implemented a comprehensive social media campaign. On Uber Eats’ Facebook, we launched several teasers for Popo’s Kitchen on the lead up to its launch. One by one, the teasers introduced the Popos, highlighting their endearing personalities and their delicious dishes. For the launch, we posted a full campaign video which ended with a discount code to encourage first-time orders. We also shared How-To videos and invited Hong Kongers to submit their own family recipes to be added to the restaurant’s menu. All this was accompanied by a sophisticated PR campaign which was amplified by popular, local news outlets and blogs.

List the results (30% of vote)

Popo’s Kitchen didn’t just turn around public opinion, it propelled Uber Eats to become one of the top food delivery services in Hong Kong, right up there beside our long-established competitors. By preserving local food culture, we won hearts and secured brand affinity. 27 ‘Popos’ employed 15,682 recipes shared 58 forgotten recipes introduced 1.5 million earned media

Please tell us how you designed/adapted your campaign for the single country / region / market where it aired.

Uber Eats is a food delivery platform from one of the pioneers of the globalized digital economy. The parent brand and its ride-sharing service, while wildly popular with consumers, was resented around the world as the enemy of local culture and traditions. We had to connect Uber Eats with Hong Kong. Only in Hong Kong has the rise in popularity of delivery apps like Uber Eats affected the food landscape so dramatically. As convenience (Western-style fast-food) replaces tradition (home-cooked Cantonese dishes), the skills to make the dishes are dying out. But the nostalgic cravings are not. Our idea provided a solution while helping to preserve local food culture. Popo’s Kitchen, a virtual restaurant delivering home-style Cantonese food to those craving the food of home was created for Hong Kong. The menu, created by a team of the city’s grandmothers, is an homage to traditional Cantonese food culture.