Restaurants are the lifeblood of their communities, but in 2020, that all came to a halt. During the pandemic, delivery apps became restaurants' only lifeline. However, the true power of restaurants isn't in their ability to churn out orders; it’s in the community, culture and communing that happens inside their four walls. Food delivery platforms like DoorDash may have helped restaurants survive the pandemic, but survival alone isn’t enough. In a time period when the press was painting third-party delivery companies as “tech vultures preying on an already devastated mainstreet,” DoorDash knew they needed to act. To prove that unlike the others, they are a purpose-driven company. They needed to rebuild preference among consumers and re-engage the merchant community to demonstrate that they were created to empower local communities and small businesses, not prey on them.

As restaurants started reopening in New York City, America’s biggest restaurant town, DoorDash put its mission into action by reviving restaurants on the verge of closing and creating a short film encouraging people to do something no one expected a delivery company to say: dine in rather than order out. "Soul of the City" documents the reopening story of six restaurants across the city — Caracas, Tacoway Beach, Nom Wah Tea Parlor, Sylvia’s, Peppa’s Jerk Chicken and Palma — and celebrates the role restaurants play in their neighborhoods that delivery alone could never replace. The film debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival, a moment chosen for its symbolism as it was initially created to revitalize small businesses after 9/11. At the event, DoorDash not only premiered its film but invited more than 50 merchants representing 20+ NYC restaurants to Tribeca to experience the very sense of community the film.

COVID-19 severely frayed the fabric of neighborhoods across America, with an estimated 110,000 establishments closing permanently and over 1,000 restaurants closing within NYC alone. But in this hardship, people began to find a new appreciation for something they had previously taken for granted — their local communities. With 75% of consumers saying they were planning to increase local shopping over the next year, the pandemic made us remember the value of our neighborhoods and reformed our community bonds. Tapping into this resurgence of local pride and loyalty, DoorDash targeted its message toward the people who were at the forefront of this emerging local renaissance — an audience DoorDash identified as the “Cultural Mavericks.” Socially conscious and deeply rooted in grassroots local culture, they became the brand's megaphone, sharing the story that DoorDash cares about its communities as much as they do.

Starting 6/9 and ending 7/15, DoorDash implemented a two-phase communications approach that tapped into the national, growing excitement around the reopening of restaurants and revitalization of communities, positioning the film as the torch marking this anticipated arrival. Prior to the launch of the film at Tribeca, the first phase of communications was centered around building excitement among NYC merchants and Culture Mavericks through earned media, press and influencer invitations to the film premiere event and teaser videos across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. After the film launched at the event, it was then released nationally on a unique microsite with the call to action to “go dine in.” Leveraging paid ads across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Youtube, Cultural Mavericks and Merchants nationally were driven to watch and share the video, in addition to learning more about DoorDash’s commitment to empowering local communities and the small businesses that anchor them.

Via DoorDash's support of reopening NYC restaurants and its “Soul of the City” film that celebrated the rebirth of community and encouraged viewers to “go dine in,” DoorDash proved to merchants and customers that it was created to serve and strengthen neighborhoods and small businesses. Along with the film, DoorDash created a Reopen Resource Center for restaurants ready to re-launch post-COVID, with thousands of merchant visits in the first weeks. Consumers reacted positively to DoorDash setting the narrative straight about its support of restaurant partners, resulting in a +40% lift in consumer first-choice preference. With new advocates behind the brand, this community comeback story generated 100+ media impressions and 3M+ total social reach resulting in 9M total views of the “Soul of the City” film. Covered by business publications like CNBC and food publications like Infatuation, the film was shared nationally and was chosen by Vimeo as a Staff Pick.