Uber and independent creative agency Special have teamed up with renowned martial arts actor Louis Koo to highlight the challenges of traditional street hailing. The campaign cleverly plays on the double meaning of ‘Kung Fu’, which in Cantonese also means ‘effort’. A full-scale Kung Fu-style standoff becomes a fitting metaphor for the struggle of searching for a taxi, while Louis smoothly navigates through the chaos to his e-hailed Uber Taxi, effortlessly bypassing the struggle entirely.
The campaign was teased on Louis’s social media, where he announced he was saying goodbye to Kung Fu for good… only to reveal that it was the wasted effort of searching for a taxi he was leaving behind.
Special, along with local partners and Kung Fu specialist director Adam Liu and stunt coordinator Jack Wong, worked closely to ensure authentic representation of martial arts in the campaign.
Special Managing Director Lauren Portelli said, “Bringing together a hybrid team of our Australian brains trust, with incredible local partners, helped us create an idea that truly felt Hong Kong. Filmed in the heart of Causeway Bay, we were able to capture how easily Uber Taxi lets you bypass the obstacles of street hailing, getting you where you need to go.”
Special Creative Directors, Sarah Parris & Dan O’Connell observed, “Martial arts films are experiencing a bit of a renaissance in Hong Kong cinema at the moment, and we wanted to make something that felt true to the genre. Working with one of the best directors in the region, Adam Liu, and a bona fide legend of the Hong Kong film industry, Louis Koo, was great. They made the project as easy as e-hailing with Uber.”
Head of Marketing Toga Leung said “At Uber Taxi, we are dedicated to providing an effortless experience for the people of Hong Kong. As a local who grew up captivated by iconic Kung Fu movies, I’m excited to see that passion come to life in this culturally relevant and entertaining campaign. Collaborating with a diverse creative team at Special, alongside our talented local partners, has been instrumental in shaping this campaign. With over a decade of experience in Hong Kong, we understand the unique challenges residents face while travelling— challenges that often require their own form of ‘Kung Fu.’ “
The brand campaign spans TV, online, Social and OOH and is supported by a promotional campaign that will give away HK $1,000,000 of discounts on promotional cards, on the streets of Hong Kong.
Credits:
- Client – Uber Taxi
- Director Of Marketing, APAC: Andy Morley
- Head of Marketing, Hong Kong: Toga Leung
- Marketing Manager, Hong Kong: Charmaine Wu
- Senior Marketing Executive: Venus To
- Creative Director, APAC: Adam Ledbury
- Brand Strategy Lead, APAC: Dan Palise
- Lead Creative Agency – Special
- Partners/CEO : Lindsey Evans & Cade Heyde
- Partners/CCO: Julian Schreiber & Tom Martin
- Creative Directors: Sarah Parris & Dan O’Connell
- Creatives: Tim Seddon & Gene Brutty (Imagine If Labs)
- Social Creative: Khiang Tan (WowWowTank)
- Managing Director: Lauren Portelli
- Team Lead: Erin Stace
- Business Director: Megan McIntosh & Adam Reeves
- Business Manager: Howan Tong
- Group Strategy Director: Celia Garforth
- Strategy Director: Phoebe Fielding
- Creative & Production Partner – Omelette
- Creative Director/Founder: Vivian Fung
- Creative Director/Founder: Charles Hau
- Producer: Peggy Mok
- Line Producer: Benny Fung
- Talent Manager: Fiona Lam
- Film Director & Production
- Production House: THE FUTURE PRODUCTION
- Director: Adam Liu
- Executive Producer: Benny Fung
- Line Producer: Pat Lui
- Co-Producer: Joseph Mak
- Producer: Will Ke & Roy Ran
- Dop: Zhongqiang Liang
- Trinity: Zhifeng Du & Beilin Liang
- Action Director: Jack Wong
- 1st Assistant Director: Bernie Chiu
- 2nd Assistant Director: Jason Wan
- Production Manager : Tommy Liu
- Art Director: Man Lim Chung
- Styling: Vann Kwok
- Hair Stylist: Dave Ng
- Mark Up Artist: Nichol Chau
- Casting Director: Ron Lee & Any Wong
- Post Production
- Offline Editor : Yang Song
- Online Editor: Glint Post
- TC: Yao Colorgrading
- Sound Designer and Mixing: 20k-Miles & Light Club Multimedia Limited
- Social Director & Production
- Director: Ben Sum
- Executive Producer: Dicky Wu
- Producer: Ziva
- Director Of Photography: Hung
- Production manager : Samuel
- Art Director: Abbie
- Post-production: Light Club Multimedia Limited
- Producer: Fanny
- Editor: Denise
- Online: Marcus
- TC: Kwun Wong
- Audio Mixing: Bear
- Photography/KV Director & Production
- Production House: Workhouse
- KV Photographer: Lawrence Ng
- KV Producer: Even Yeung
- BTS & Social Photo
- Production House: INGWORKSTUDIO
- Photographer: Issa Ng
- Media Agency – EssenceMediacom
- Tiffany Ng
- Adrian Lee
- PR Agency – Golin
