Podcast Summary: On the Spot: Corona & Uber Eats
On Strategy Showcase
Host: Fergus O’Carroll
Release Date: July 13, 2025

Introduction

In the July 13, 2025 episode of On Strategy Showcase, host Fergus O’Carroll delves into the strategic storytelling behind two prominent brands: Uber Eats and Corona. Joined by a panel of marketing experts—Rachel Poole (Head of Strategy, Ogilvy New York), Julian Morgan (Head of Strategy, Rethink Toronto), Vanessa Chin, and Matthew Herbert—the episode explores the evolution, branding strategies, and comparative performance of these industry leaders.

Guest Introductions

The episode kicks off with Fergus welcoming his guests:

• Rachel Poole from Ogilvy New York
• Julian Morgan from Rethink Toronto
• Vanessa Chin and Matthew Herbert, both returning guests

Fergus O’Rourke [00:00]:
"Welcome to the latest episode of On the Spot, where planners talk about brands they've never worked on..."

Uber Eats: Strategy and Branding

Evolution of Campaigns

The discussion begins with Uber Eats, highlighting its significant growth and strategic advertising phases since 2017.

Julian Morgan [06:08]:
"Uber has done a masterful job of embedding themselves in culture through their offerings, always weaving in some celebrity and cultural elements to elevate their brand beyond mere functionality."

Fergus O'Rourke [09:27]:
"Uber Eats seems to be everywhere in my mind, unlike DoorDash, which feels less omnipresent in advertising..."

Celebrity Endorsements and Fluency

The panel examines the role of celebrities in Uber Eats’ campaigns, noting how celebrities are seamlessly integrated to enhance the brand narrative rather than overshadowing it.

Rachel Poole [07:04]:
"They've created distinctive brand assets or fluent devices, particularly the Doorbell, and the bag, ensuring these elements are consistently used to reinforce brand recognition."

Julian Morgan [12:32]:
"Uber doesn't just plaster a celebrity next to their logo. They utilize celebrities as integral parts of the narrative, making the ads memorable and effective."

System One Analysis

Vanessa Chin provides insights from System One’s research, emphasizing Uber Eats’ strong performance in emotional response and brand recall.

Vanessa Chin [22:50]:
"This campaign has a big idea that works with or without a celebrity. Introducing a celebrity authentically playing a beloved role results in strong positive emotions."

Matthew Herbert [23:23]:
"Brands should focus on the story first, then pair it with the right celebrity. Uber Eats exemplifies this by choosing celebrities that enhance their narrative rather than distract from it."

Super Bowl Campaign

A standout discussion revolves around Uber Eats’ Super Bowl campaign featuring Matthew McConaughey, praised for its humor and relatability.

Julian Morgan [19:32]:
"The idea is so good on its own that the celebrity simply elevates it. It's one of the few brands where celebrity endorsements don’t make me cringe."

Vanessa Chin [24:35]:
"The humor in the campaign successfully elicited strong emotional responses, outperforming category averages significantly."

Corona: Timeless Branding and Modern Challenges

Historical Branding Success

The panel shifts focus to Corona, applauding its long-standing branding strategy centered around relaxation and the beach lifestyle.

Julian Morgan [26:02]:
"Corona has consistently nailed their branding with simplicity and restraint, avoiding typical beer advertising tropes and instead focusing on serene, beach-centric imagery."

Rachel Poole [27:07]:
"Corona’s approach echoes brands like Guinness, utilizing distinctive assets and maintaining a clean, consistent message over decades."

Recent Campaign Critique

However, recent efforts by Corona to modernize their branding with celebrities like Snoop Dogg and Pedro Pascal have received mixed reviews.

Julian Morgan [30:58]:
"The new celebrity-focused campaigns feel like they're dragging the brand into pop culture without a solid narrative, unlike Uber Eats’ strategic use of celebrities."

Rachel Poole [32:58]:
"Corona is grappling with evolving from a physical beach representation to an intangible emotional state, but it still feels aspirational rather than achievable for the average consumer."

System One Analysis

Vanessa Chin highlights Corona’s strong brand metrics but points out areas for improvement in storytelling and emotional engagement.

Vanessa Chin [35:15]:
"Corona consistently outperforms category averages in brand health metrics, scoring high in recall and consideration. However, enhancing storytelling could elevate emotional connections further."

Matthew Herbert [39:18]:
"Corona maintains strong funnel metrics with 80% awareness and 47% consideration. Yet, to stay ahead, they need to innovate beyond their traditional 'beach' imagery."

Comparative Insights and Strategic Recommendations

Category Growth vs. Market Share

The panel discusses whether Uber Eats and Corona should focus on growing their respective categories or on stealing market share from competitors.

Rachel Poole [15:39]:
"Uber Eats leverages its existing Uber user base to convert them into Eats customers, a unique advantage DoorDash doesn’t possess."

Matthew Herbert [16:44]:
"With DoorDash holding 31% preference and Uber Eats at 19%, the growing category allows Uber Eats to expand its absolute numbers even if its market share percentage remains flat."

Strategic Recommendations

The experts propose that Corona needs to innovate its branding strategy to remain relevant, while Uber Eats should continue leveraging its strong storytelling and celebrity integrations.

Julian Morgan [42:14]:
"Corona should reinvent its long-standing beach narrative to align with modern cultural shifts, ensuring it resonates with today’s diverse consumer base."

Rachel Poole [41:03]:
"Uber Eats has been incredibly current and reflective of the times, a strength they should continue to build upon, whereas Corona needs to rejuvenate its approach for 2025 and beyond."

Conclusion

The episode concludes with the panel acknowledging the strengths and areas for growth for both Uber Eats and Corona. Uber Eats is lauded for its dynamic and strategic use of storytelling and celebrities, while Corona is encouraged to evolve its timeless branding to stay relevant in a changing market landscape.

Fergus O’Rourke [44:45]:
"It is great to have everybody here on the show. Thank you to Rachel Poole, Julian Morgan, Vanessa Chin, and Matthew Herbert. We look forward to exploring more creative work in our future episodes."

Notable Quotes:

• Julian Morgan [06:08]:
  "Uber has done a masterful job of embedding themselves in culture through their offerings..."

• Rachel Poole [07:04]:
  "They've created distinctive brand assets or fluent devices, particularly the Doorbell..."

• Vanessa Chin [22:50]:
  "Introducing a celebrity authentically playing a beloved role results in strong positive emotions."

• Julian Morgan [26:02]:
  "Corona has consistently nailed their branding with simplicity and restraint..."

• Matthew Herbert [39:18]:
  "Corona maintains strong funnel metrics with 80% awareness and 47% consideration."

This comprehensive discussion provides valuable insights into how strategic storytelling and consistent branding can propel brands like Uber Eats and Corona to prominence, while also highlighting the necessity for continual innovation to maintain market relevance.