Why Gett's Advertising Is Better Than Yours (And What To Do About It)

On-Demand ride services have become hegemonic fixtures within modern society, but not all are created equal. Though Uber continues to perpetuate dominance in this industry, others are severely rivaling the driver giant.With Gett’s direct, clever advertising and avant garde visibility tactics, the company has grown into a major player in the on-demand game. Nahshon Davidai, Gett’s Global CMO is the main man behind these marketing innovations and sat down with TechDay to divulge the thinking behind them.

Gett produces ads that are hilariously self aware as well as some that are full of modern pop culture references. What was the thinking behind utilizing this distinct voice?

Both our campaign messaging and graphic design are bold and simple, designed to attract the attention of busy New Yorkers and to make sure that every New Yorker knows about Gett’s surge-free prices and unique $10 flat rate. We never charge surge prices, regardless of demand, traffic or weather, and Gett’s $10 flat rate gets you anywhere in Manhattan for up to 30 minutes and 4 miles. Our ads use a distinct voice to capture the attention of passersby and make our brand stand out from competitors.

Part of Gett’s marketing embraces direct denunciations of Uber. What were the conversations before going forth with these types of ads and how have they ultimately helped foster Gett as whole?

We recognize that Uber is a major competitor in New York City, and that in order to attract riders we need to make the difference between Gett and Uber very clear. To that end, our ads playfully take some heavy jabs against Uber’s surge pricing and highlight the fact that in contrast, we never surge. After we unveiled our first out of home campaign in 2015, which featured ads directly taking on Uber (i.e. “The competition, who we shall not name, is über ripping you off”), we saw weekly app installs and drivers sign-up double, and weekly rides more than triple - proving that our ads have helped increase Gett’s visibility in NYC. But the main message we are trying to drive is that, in contrast to most other competitors (not just Uber), Gett prices never surge.

How did Gett’s amazing #surgesucks campaign come to fruition and to what extent has it helped further grow the brand?

We wanted to make our value proposition (no surge pricing, ever!) clear to our customers, while being true to Gett’s playful voice and brand personality. Surge Sucks encourages our customers to engage directly with a fun campaign, while also driving traffic to our website and app. Through the Surge Sucks campaign, Uber and Lyft users can receive a Gett credit equivalent to their surge fees for any ride previously taken in NYC. To participate, customers sign up at SurgeSucks.com and then forward their Uber or Lyft surge receipts to Gett. Gett then sends riders Gett equivalent credit, up to a cumulative total of $100.

What tactics (marketing or otherwise) do you employ to encourage drivers to make the switch to Gett as well?

The happiness of our drivers is extremely important to us. They are our partners, their success is directly linked to ours. We, therefore, constantly ask our drivers for feedback and are always looking for ways to improve their experience. A core pillar of driver happiness is our payment structure. Gett takes only 10% in commission (Uber takes 20-28%); multiplies regular pay by 1.2 for a scheduled 50 hours/week; and always allows drivers to keep 100% of their tips (Uber does not offer tipping through the app).

What general advice would you offer early stage startup founders keen on developing their company through a unique brand voice?

First and foremost, you need a great product that positively impacts people’s lives. Our product, for example, addresses a real problem most people had to face. Once you have that, the rest is (much) easier. Once you have that core in place, it is all about getting a message across to your users in an appealing way. For an early stage startup, it’s crucial to be able to articulate the main benefit of your product in a simple and clear way. But, you also need to make that relevant to your users. Those two things together establish a solid foundation for launching any new product or service in marketing. In Gett’s case, we offer fair prices that never surge and express that message through a bold and straight-forward tone of voice that is attention grabbing, memorable, and relevant.

Are there any new innovations we can expect to see from Gett in the near future?

We just expanded our offerings with the launch of a new carpooling service in New York City designed to supplement public transportation. Dubbed “Gett Together,” the new service provides commuters in Manhattan with $3 rides that never surge, in premium (SUV) vehicles, along pre-set lines. The service fills the gaps of public transportation along the East and West Sides and offers New Yorkers a more convenient and comfortable alternative - or complement - to the subway.