Uber’s UK advertising division has debuted a ‘Sponsored Items’ feature on Uber Eats, launching with PepsiCo as one of its first brand partners.
The performance advertising tool, powered by Criteo, enables FMCG brands to get ahead of the competition by promoting their items directly to consumers searching the app.
“Uber helps millions of users in the UK go anywhere and get everything, and this allows us to help connect brands with consumers during their interaction with the Uber platform,” said Paul Wright, Uber’s Head of Advertising UKI. “As we continue to invest in our advertising capabilities, this new advertising surface on Uber Eats will give brands in the UK the tools to capture the attention of ready-to-purchase consumers.”
According to Uber, Sponsored Items “enhances the customer experience” by making relevant products and brands more discoverable, as well as driving value for brands and Uber Eats itself. For instance, PepsiCo has been able to “increase visibility” for items including Walkers, Sensations, and Doritos.
“Our first Sponsored Items campaign not only gave us a significant sales lift, but also provided us with strategic insights into consumer searches on Uber Eats and our customers’ expectations,” said Lisa Whittlestone, Ecommerce Marketing Lead, Rapid Delivery/Quick Commerce at PepsiCo.
Sponsored Items is now live in 12 markets including the US, Canada, Australia, Brazil, France, Japan, and Mexico, among others. Uber intends to follow-up the launch of Sponsored Items in UK by introducing additional formats and surfaces on Uber Eats by the end of the year.
“The expansion of this partnership reflects the unique opportunities Uber offers advertisers to engage with scaled, in-market audiences and the huge potential of retail media beyond traditional retailer environments,” said Nicole Kivel, Managing Director, Northern Europe at Criteo. “Quick Commerce is the next evolution of grocery shopping and represents a unique audience moment for Fast Moving Consumer Goods brands. We look forward to helping Uber advertising further increase the discoverability of relevant products and brands, enhancing the consumer experience while driving value for both Uber Eats and its partners.”
*Uber Advertising is a client of Bluestripe Communications, owned by Bluestripe Group, publisher of NDA
