President Zelensky and the Ukrainian delegation were attending the UN General Assembly in NYC in September 2023, so Uber had just a few days to show them that the world did still see their resilience and raise donations for UNITED24.

As the lifeline of movement, it was imperative to focus on the powerful work drivers were still doing daily - 500,000+ rides to bring refugees to safety, doctors to hospitals, and relief aid to frontline communities - not Uber, so we developed “What makes a hero?” centering the campaign on the drivers’ resilience and determination to keep their country moving.

We had less than 4 weeks to strategize, concept and produce work that would stand out in the world’s busiest stage (Times Square) and drive impact - getting passers-by to notice and take action.

Telling the stories of everyday people, including drivers with Uber, who continue living their lives and moving their country forward in spite of the destruction all around them, on one of the biggest platforms imaginable. The work was designed to have a powerful impact in Times Square for two weeks.

The campaign delivered ~21M impressions, and coincided intentionally with President Zelensky and the Ukrainian delegation’s visit to the UN in September 2023, to show support directly to the country’s leader - an epitome of an ordinary citizen turned everyday hero.

Social posts amplified the live reach with over 8.5K organic likes on Instagram.

Key press outlets covered the work, further amplifying reach:LBB, AdWeek/AgencySpy, MediaPost. UNITED24 can’t disclose specific numbers but reported increased donations as a result of the campaign.