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GCM Consulting Group:

Caroline Smith | Gia Giambrone | Mohammed Alshajajeer


Executive Summary

The prospect of ridesharing is not a new concept to the global market, however its

popularity has continued to grow exponentially within North America. Rideshare services like

Lyft and Uber have become a daily essential to the average city commuters life, but only one of

these two services has penetrated the market globally. Lyft, created in 2012 by Logan Green and

John Zimmer, is a ridesharing service that has yet to break out of the United States walls. The

objective of this campaign is to bring Lyft into the global market by infiltrating six countries:

Canada, Brazil, France, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Thailand. These countries are prime targets for

Lyft to grow as a company due to its high-traffic locations and its receptiveness of rideshare

services.

The Geert Hofstede model will be used to cross-culturally analyze each prospective

country against the origin country, the U.S. The data analyzed is then implemented for the

advertising campaign. Using a decentralized strategy along with a sprinkler effect, Lyfts global

campaign will begin in three phases. Each phase will bring Lyft into two countries

simultaneously. Through use of a specific, decentralized strategy, Lyft advertisements will adapt

its marketing tools to reflect the culture, society, and economy of each respective country. The

goal is for Lyft to be a competitor within these countries and begin their global growth.

Situation Analysis

Company Background

Lyft is a San Francisco-based ridesharing service created in 2012 by Logan Green and

John Zimmer as part of their Zimride service (Venturebeat.com. 2013). Zimride, created in 2007,

used social media such as Facebook as a way to connect people with others in their school or

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work circle from city to city using an online Facebook application where one inputs their desired

destination which then matches them with people also heading in that direction

(Bizjournals.com, 2013). The idea of Zimride is to promote eco-friendly ridesharing with people

you may not have typically interacted with from your school or workplace (Techcrunch.com.

2009). The name derives, not from Zimmers name, but from a visit Green took to Zimbabwe

where he observed the locals sharing minivan rides (Techcrunch.com. 2009). Both he and

Zimmer brought the idea of ridesharing to North America and eventually created the Lyft app.

What differs from the original concept of Zimride to what we now know as Lyft is that Zimride

was predominantly for travelers seeking to go from city to city, thereby resulting in a longer trip.

Lyft opened itself up to everyone and focused more on shorter, within city trips. Like taxis, Lyft

tasks drivers to pick up passengers looking to reach a destination at a more affordable rate, but

like any start-up, Lyft did it with flair.

At the beginning of its conception, Lyft was a donation-based system where passengers

agreed upon a monetary donation to their driver as opposed to a firm fare. As of 2013, Lyft

repealed the donations and began to have firm fares which encouraged their drivers to drive more

frequently. Along with their fares, they added surcharges during prime time hours that also

incentivized their drivers (Techcrunch.com, 2012). With firmer fares meant more drivers, and

with more drivers meant more opportunity to use Lyft. What sets Lyft apart from other

ridesharing services like average taxi cabs or Uber was personality. From 2012-2015, Lyft

became well-known as the vehicle that had a giant fuzzy pink mustache on the cars grill,

lovingly dubbed as the grill-stache. The reason: to make people smile.

Lyft prides itself on a sense of community where Lyft drivers are more than just an

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average chauffeur; they are potential friends who pull up in their car with a comically large,

fuzzy, pink mustache on its grill and offer you a fist bump as you sit in the front seat of the car

(Wired.com, 2015). According to Zimmer, he tries to find drivers who are aspirational, friendly

people, and when you take a ride with a person, you think hey, that could be me (Wired.com,

2015). Although Lyft focuses greatly on its fun and friendly image, it still is not enough to

compete in the ridesharing world like Uber who penetrated global markets outside of the United

States. The fuzzy mustache, along with other things, may have been a contributing factor to its

less than successful race against Uber. As such, Lyft replaced the iconic mustaches as a show of

maturity. The mustache received polar reactions: absolutely loving it or refusing to get into a car

that boasted it (Theverge.com, 2016). The mustache was replaced by the Amp, an LED gadget

that lights up with the matching color of the passenger in order to ensure the correct

passenger/driver match (Techcrunch.com, 2017).

Since its conception, Lyft has grown from a juvenile donations-based ridesharing to a

sophisticated means of daily transportation for city commuters. Within the last year alone, Lyft

has raised $600 million in funding bringing their total to $2.61 billion (Fortune.com, 2012).

While this is quite a huge win for Lyft, compared to Ubers $8.8 billion, they still have quite a

long way to go in order to compete in the ridesharing world. In order for Lyft to be a threat and

usurp the competition, it must be able to infiltrate markets globally and create a positive brand

awareness to their name.

Transportation Industry

While the worlds most popular mode of transit is the bicycle, in the United States, cars

are the dominate mode of transportation, offering both freedom and flexibility (Forbes.com,

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2014). Every country that Lyft could potentially penetrate for this expansion does not have

bicycles as the common mode of transportation. Rather, public transportation or privately owned

cars dominate the market share.

The U.S. is one of the worlds largest car producers and also home to 30% of cars used

worldwide by a population of only 5% (Statista.com, 2016). Since the recession in 2009, car

purchases have been on an incline, however in 2014, car sales began to fall again approximately

from 7.9 million to 7.1 million in sales (Immihelp.com). Other popular modes of transportation

include: bus, train, plane, and ridesharing. Bicycles (not personally owned), busses, and trains,

fall into the public transportation category, while planes and ridesharing are considered private

transportation. To clearly articulate for the terms of this paper, public transportation is

compensated by the government primarily and paid in way of taxes, whereas private

transportation is run by a company and makes income by purchases.

Public transportation in the U.S. is a $61 billion dollar industry and according to

American Public Transportation Association, is a critical solution to the nations economic,

energy, and environmental challenges (Apta.com, 2016). The nation has seen an increasing

number of individuals using public transportation and as a result, local communities are

expanding its public transit services (Apta.com, 2016). In 2014, Americans took 10.8 billion trips

on public transit, the highest in 58 years (Apta.com, 2016). Approximately 35 million people

boarded public transit each weekday. Since 1995, public transit ridership is up 39%, outpacing

population growth and vehicle miles traveled (Apta.com, 2016). The transportation industry also

employs around 400,000 people through 7,200 organizations (Apta.com, 2016). Benefits of

public transportation include reductions in fuel/gasoline consumption, less congestion along

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highways, and a reduction in a carbon footprint. In addition, public transportation drives

economic opportunities through job creation; every $1 billion invested in public transportation

supports the creation of 50,000 jobs (Apta.com, 2016).

While public transportation has its benefits, it is primarily restricted to cities and less

available to rural areas. As a result more than three-quarters of all people commute to work by

themselves. This leads to congestion along highways, increased use of fuel, and is

environmentally unfriendly. A common solution to this is carpooling, but this is frequent only

within families and close friends, and as such is not a viable transportation method

(Investopedia.com, n.d.).

This gives rise to private transportation methods like ridesharing, where popular

ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft are used. Uber and Lyft are companies based on the

concept of the sharing economy, where individuals are able to rent or borrow assets owned by

someone else (Forbes.com, 2016). Recent research done by American Public Transportation

Association indicates that the more people use public transportation, the more likely they are to

use shared modes of transportation overall (Apta.com, 2016-1). This is a key finding as it

pertains to each country and destination city where Lyft is proposed to globally expand into. All

the elected countries offer public transit or have future plans for public transit. This paves the

way for share economy services like Lyft.

Target Audience Profile

Our research indicates that 16% of the general population who are male, and 14% who

are female are the primary users of ridesharing apps like Lyft within the United States (Smith,

2016). The main users are aged between 18-29 (28%) and 30-49 (19%), and reside heavily in

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urban (21%) and suburban (15%) areas (Smith, 2016). In terms of education, rideshare users

have a college degrees (56%), or some college (30%) (Smith, 2016). We believe this target

audience is transferable to the 6 regions we are globally expanding into. However, we recognize

that some countries that we enter may have different cultural values and expectations so we

expect some differences.

Global Expansion

After conducting adequate market research and appropriate cross-cultural analysis, a

sprinkler strategy (Blogspot.com, 2010) will be implemented for Lyft to enter the following

countries: Canada, Brazil, France, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand. A sprinkler strategy

allows Lyft to introduce the ridesharing car service simultaneously in multiple markets, while

also preemptively moving competition (Blogspot.com, 2010). The sprinkler strategy consists of

three phases. In phase one, Lyft will enter Canada and Brazil. Phase two will have Lyft enter

France and Egypt. The last phase, Lyft will enter Saudi Arabia and Thailand.

Phase 1

The Canadian market (table 1), consists of both English and French speakers. Advertising

and PR communications will reflect both forms of language. The collective population of Canada

is 36 million, but the cities of focus are Toronto, Ontario and Vancouver, British Columbia with

populations of 2.8 million and 603 thousand respectively. Canadians value equality and

respect for other cultures in their communications, and receive the bulk of their

communications through digital, TV, and newspaper. These values will be translated to these

three media vehicles. In addition, the two target cities are dominated by public transportation,

which has already been classified as an indicator that users are more likely to use shared modes

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of transportation. As for competition, the Canadian market boasts of a variety of ridesharing

options, which includes Uber. Through communications, Lyft will position itself as a market

competitor and be reflective of cultural values through advertisements allowing for it to have the

competitive advantage with rides for everyone.

To indicate how well Lyft will be received, an analysis was done to compare the origin

country of Lyft to the prospective country, Canada. According to Geert Hofstede (graph 1),

Canada scores similarly to the United States. Areas of particular interests are as follows: long

term orientation, masculinity, and individualism. These differences vary by 10 points, with

Canada having a higher long term orientation and a more feminine culture than the U.S., though

the U.S. ranked higher on the individualism scale. This analysis indicates the two cultures are

relatively similar, and as a result is a promising prospect for Lyft. Communications, however,

need to position Lyft as a friendly service in comparison to Uber in order to be successful.

Essentially, the brands image needs to be communicated to reflect the Canadian culture.

The second country in phase one is Brazil, South America (table 2). The language of

Brazil is Portuguese, and the overall population totals to 210 million people. Like Canada, Lyft

will enter two target cities: Sao Paulo and Rio De Janeiro. The respective populations are: 11.96

million and 6.45 million. The Brazilian culture responds most to television and outdoor media

communications, and as such, the media communications for Lyft will be reflective of that.

Communications will also represent the core values that the Brazilian culture upholds: overt

expressions of sex, openness, female nudity, and sensual clothing.

Public transportation within both target cities is prevalent; ridesharing is already present

in Brazil with companies like Uber, and the Chinese equivalent, Didi. While this is a competitive

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market, Lyft can position itself to consumers as a friendly alternative, driving passengers to see

all the sights.

As for cross-cultural differences, an analysis was done between the U.S. and Brazil to

identify key areas of interests (graph 2). There were noteworthy differences between all six Geert

Hofstede categories. The most interesting difference, however, was the uncertainty avoidance

ranking at 76, whereas the U.S. ranks at 46. This proves to be problematic because if the brand is

unfamiliar, then consumers may not try the service. Also linked with these findings is that Brazil

ranks higher than the U.S. in long term orientation, 44 and 26 respectively. This means that once

the Brazilian consumer tries the brand, they are more likely to be a loyalist than an American.

Communications within Brazil will need to be ubiquitous in order to be successful as a result.

Phase 2

The second phase includes France, located in the European Region (table 3). France has a

total population of 66 million, and the language is French. The target city is Paris, France, which

boasts of 2.24 million people within the city and 10.5 million people from the suburban areas of

France. The top forms of advertising in France include: TV, digital, and outdoor. The values

depicted in each include: la sduction, le spectacle, l'amour, and l'humour.

As for competition, Uber and other rideshare services are present. Start-ups like

BlaBlaCar, Le Taxi, and Le Cab offer app-like services similar to Uber. Paris also offers an

extensive public transportation system, so competition is expected in this country because the

shared mode of transportation is popular. In addition, France is known for being the top most

traveled to destination in the world (France profile, 2017). People from all over can travel to

France and rely in Lyft as a global service.

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Like Brazil, France has a very different cultural than the U.S., in areas of uncertainty

avoidance and long term orientation (graph 3). While France scores rank differently, these two

categories indicate how consumers may or may not receive a new brand. France scores an 86,

compared to the U.S.s 46 for uncertainty avoidance, which again means they are more unwilling

to try a new brand. For long term orientation, France scores higher than the U.S., meaning they

are more likely to be brand loyal, ranking at 63 compared to the U.S. ranked at 26. This indicates

that our communication tools in France also need to be ubiquitous and relevant to Parisian

values.

Egypt is the second country in phase 2 (table 4). Egypts language is Arabic and has a

population of 95 million. The target city is Cairo and has a population of 7.7 million. The main

forms of advertising are: digital, TV, social media, and newspaper while the core value depicted

in communications is humour.

Ridesharing service providers like Uber, Careem and Ousta are the primary competitors.

Additionally, public transportation is also present, which indicates usage of shared modes of

transportation. Public transportation and ridesharing options are also appealing to travelers, and

Cairo is a key location for travelers because of the pyramids.

Lastly, as a cross-cultural analysis, Egypt greatly differs from the U.S., and as such

indicates Egypt as a risky location to enter. Egypt has low power distance, 25, compared to U.S.

which ranks 91, and high uncertainty avoidance of 80, compared to the U.S.s 46. Egypt also

ranks low on long term orientation and indulgence, 7 and 4, respectively. The U.S. contrasts to

these numbers greatly with 26 and 68, respectively. Instead of targeting the locals, Lyft can focus

its efforts on targeting the tourists arriving to Egypt and visiting Cairo. Entering foreign locations

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as a tourist can be daunting and intimidating, and although Cairo has a public transportation

system with its metro, ridesharing is a more familiar and convenient way to get around.

Advertisements will appear in specific locations such as airports, metros, and popular tourist

attractions to let this specific demographic know of Lyfts capabilities.

Phase 3

The final phase of the campaign will see penetration in Saudi Arabia (table 5). The

country has a total population of 33 million and its main language is Arabic. The target city for

this country is Riyadh, which has a population of 4 million. The top forms of advertising are

digital, TV, social media, newspaper, and radio, and the values depicted within each medium are

typically regarding hospitality and family or reflective of ancient Bedouin tradition.

The main competitors within Riyadh are Uber and Careem, with Careem being the

leading ridesharing service in the Middle East. This countrys main form of transportation are

cars, so Lyft can be a key competitor within the market, especially for tourists considering that

public transportation is lacking.

According to the Geert Hofstede analysis (graph 5), Saudi Arabia is more likely to have

uncertainty avoidance, with a score of 80, and have a low long term orientation rate, with a score

of 36. Although the numbers dictate that Lyft may not statistically be able to penetrate the Saudi

Arabian market, the advertisements will be placed in specific locations as it will be within Egypt:

airports and popular tourist attractions. The ubiquitous messaging shown at these particular

locations will target the tourists visiting Riyadh rather than predominantly the locals. The locals

have shown that they will most likely use Careem as their personal ridesharing, but tourists who

know the Lyft brand and will see the advertisements at key locations will recognize that Lyft is

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an option for them to use.

The last country of phase 3 includes Thailand. The language of Thailand is Thai, and the

total population is 68 million. The target city of Thailand is Bangkok, which has a population of

5 million people. The top forms of communications are digital, TV, and social media. The core

values that Thai people respond well with include advertisements with emotional and sentimental

values.

As for competition, rideshare providers like Uber and Grab are present. In addition, there

is extensive public transportation services provided. Thailand has a high percentage of mobile

users (90%), which is great for app providers like Lyft to enter the market to mobile users. There

are also approximately 32 million travelers entering Thailand (Thaiwebsites.com, 2017). All

factors considered, Thailand appears to be an attractive market for Lyft seeing as it can

piggyback off consumers using shared modes of transportation, those using mobile apps, and

target travelers.

According to Geert Hofstede, the differences between the U.S. and Thailand are

separated by ten points at its most drastic (see graph 6). The Thai culture's uncertainty avoidance

rate is 64 compared to the U.S.s 46. Alongside, Thai people are more likely to be brand loyalists

due to the fact that their long term orientation rate is 32 versus the U.S.s 26. Although Thailand

may seem a little more cautious with foreign businesses, their rideshare providers of Uber and

Grab along with their current metro system shows that Thai people are already receptive to the

idea of ridesharing. With ubiquitous messaging, Lyft will be able to infiltrate the Bangkok

market, and in time, it will become a brand that Thai people will trust.

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Objectives

Communication Objectives

The ultimate communication objective for Lyft is to have a successful global

introduction. The first way in which Lyft can attempt to make that happen is with a successful

pre-launch publicity stunt to garner intrigue and get potential consumers talking about the brand

and engaging with it online. The hope is to increase sign-ups on the app and traffic to Lyfts

social media pages by 30%. Through these initiatives Lyft hopes to raise brand awareness and

recognition in new markets as well as to create a brand image of lightheartedness and

playfulness. The pre-launch publicity regarding the stunt as well as the corporate social

responsibility tie-in will help position Lyft as a brand that is fun and thoughtful. Ultimately these

efforts should get people to become aware of who we are, increase sign ups to the app, and get

consumers visiting, and hopefully following or liking, our social media pages.

Advertising Objectives

After the initial communication into the new market, advertising strategies will help Lyft

to really boost their business. The goal of the advertisements are to make consumers in the new

markets feel engaged and understood by Lyft. While the initial communication strategies are

meant to increase sign-ups and drive people to social media pages, the objectives of the

advertisements are more concrete. At the point of the initial launch we hope to be increasing use

of the app, not just sign-ups. We want to increase rides taken, as well as generate at least a 4 star

rating for our drivers. We also hope that our promotion (get $5 off a ride when a friend signs up)

will help further increase sign-ups to the app. Social media pages should not only be receiving

likes and views at this point, but also engagement. We want to increase global engagement with

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the brand online. Successful advertisements should drive consumers to tweet or message Lyft

which will generate a two-way conversation with customers. We hope to increase engagement by

40% in each country through advertisements. While it will take some time for Lyft to begin to

steal market share from other modes of transportation, increased usage of the app and consumer

engagement is the first step that can be taken toward that ultimate goal in the early stages of

introduction.

Communication Strategies

Managing Communication

Lyfts global expansion will be delivered through the use of a global brand team led by a

brand manager. Members of this team will include brand representatives from all six countries

targeted for the expansion. To be certain that all communication efforts align with local customs,

brand representatives must not only be from the country assigned, but have also lived in the city

Lyft will be expanding into for at least 5 years. These brand representatives will be experts in the

fields of advertising, market research, promotions, public relations, among other topics. Brand

representatives will help Lyft to make sure that all communication strategies associated with the

expansion into new markets are aligned with that country's language, culture, symbols,

traditions, holidays, religious groups, icons, values, etc. to ensure a successful brand launch

(Aaker & Joachimsthaler, 1999).

This group of culture experts and industry experts will be led by Lyft brand manager, VP

of global communication, Sheila Bryson who will take ownership of the global expansion. It is

important for this team to have a leader who owns the brand globally (Aaiker & Joachimstahler,

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1999). Bryson will be involved to make sure the team members stay on task, reach goals, and

make sure that local interpretations of the brand stay true to Lyfts overall brand image.

Brand Image: Return of the Stache

Lyft has attempted to move toward a more serious brand image as it attempts to compete

with other rideshare services such as Uber. However, during a large global expansion, it will be

critical for Lyft to return to its roots to find a point of differentiation in a world saturated with

transportation options. Therefore, Lyft attempts to expand globally by bringing back the stache!

Lyft abandoned the mustache as a logo after the large fuzzy mustaches placed on their cars were

seen as immature or simply did not resonate with some consumers. While Lyft does not want to

bring back the big fuzzy mustaches, it does want to bring back the fun. Lyfts global expansion

will align the company as one of fun, playfulness, and accessibility. To do this, the mustache will

be brought back, in a small way, to help get this message across. It will also use messaging

strategies consistent with local values to help their new playful advertisements to resonate with

local consumers. Fun and accessibility will help Lyft get the attention of new consumers from

around the world.

General Communication Strategy

Lyft plans to implement a combination of centralized and decentralized strategies in its

global advertising and public relations campaign. A centralized strategy will be used during the

pre-launch, where a publicity stunt will garner the interest of consumers worldwide. Once

involved in the product launch Lyft plans to use a decentralized strategy with the help of its

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global brand team. This strategy will focus on single concept campaigns in which brand

representatives will be tasked with creating different advertisements centered around one central

idea (FCB, 1993). The brand personality decentralized campaigns will be asked to keep in mind

is that of fun, playfulness and accessibility. Brand representatives will be tasked with discerning

what these concepts mean to local markets and how to illustrate them in effective and tailored

advertising.

Public Relations Strategies

Pre-Launch: Mustache Car

Lyft will begin its campaign with a publicity stunt to garner interest and curiosity. Lyft

will work with local city governments to place pink cars in the shape of mustaches in city

centers. These cars will be parked at a central location in all cities that Lyft will be entering.

There will be no media release or news coverage around the car introduction. The side of the car

will simply have the hashtag #MustacheRides.The goal of this stunt is to get consumers buzzing

around Lyft and drive consumers to seek out and interact with the brand directly on their own

terms before introducing any advertisements. The hashtag will send consumers to the company

social media pages and website where they can learn more about the brand, find out about their

philanthropic partnerships and about promotions associated with the launch (first ride will be

free and if you refer a friend you get a $5 coupon). After a week of generating buzz, Lyft will

then send a press release (APPENDIX #15) to the media announcing their global expansion and

city introduction. The newspapers Lyft will send the press release to are the following: Canada:

The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, La Presse, Le Journal de Montral, and Metro Toronto;

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Brazil: Super Noticia, Folha de Sao Paulo, Globo, and O Estado de Sao Paulo; France: Le

Monde, Le Figaro, Le Parisien, and Liberation; Egypt: Youm7, El-Balad, Dostor, and Yallakora;

Saudi Arabia: Al-Jazirah, Al-Riyadh, Okaz, and Al-Sharq al-Awsat; Thailand: Daily News,

Khao Sod, Kom Chad Luek, and Thai Rath. This press release will also be posted to Lyfts

website. Shortly following a press release to the media, Lyft will begin introducing its

advertisements to the market.

CSR Initiative

It is important for Lyft to incorporate corporate social responsibility as a part of its PR

strategy. This is helpful to build a positive brand image with new customers as well as existing

consumers and other stakeholders. It is also beneficial in the case of a crisis. Positive brand

reputation helps to create trust and favorability which can act as a cushion during a crisis

situation.

Lyft will partner with Splash, a global nonprofit organization providing clean water to

children around the world (Global Impact, 2017). Lyft will agree to give 1% of proceeds from

every single ride to the Splash organization. Lyft will send out a press release (APPENDIX #16)

as well as promote the partnership and the organization on their social media pages through print

advertisements (APPENDIX #2 & #7). The copy will read Make a Splash or Make a

Difference and will show the Lyft logo. Partnering with this nonprofit will benefit Lyft in

several ways. The first is the benefit to brand reputation mentioned previously. This partnership

will also allow for the playful brand positioning while solidifying itself as a brand to be taken

seriously. Previously Lyft was worried about taking its fun image too far, but through the Splash

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partnership, Lyft can maintain a playful brand image, while showing consumers that the brand

cares about global issues and is working to make an impact.

Aligning itself with an international organization that appeals to a fundamental human

need will also serve Lyft well as it attempts to expand globally. It can be challenging for a brand

to create meaning across borders. Donating to a charity that helps to provide water for children

will create a brand image of positivity and philanthropy that will translate across all cultural

divides.

Crisis Management Plan

The first step to implementing a crisis management plan is to identify as many possible

crises that may come Lyfts way. The following are some such crises:

Car accident resulting in injury or death of Lyft rider or driver

Driver/passengers acting inappropriately with one another, sexual harassment, racism,

etc.

Driving under influence of alcohol or drugs

Passengers get in a physical altercation with the driver or with one another

Destruction or damage of driver vehicle

Destruction or damage of rider property

Riders get into wrong vehicle, results in abduction or unsafe circumstances

Natural disaster occurring during a ride

Drivers removing passengers from vehicle

Incomplete or incorrect rides

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Rides taking inappropriate routes

Company supporting or capitalizing upon social issue movements

Etc.

After acknowledging these, the next step for Lyfts crisis management plan is to identify

a spokesperson. This will be founders Logan Green and John Zimmer. They will receive special

training for what to say and how to act during a crisis. Some such tips may be genuine concern,

transparency, apologeticness, how to dress, and even how to convey the correct body language

and facial expressions. Lyft will also hire a small crisis response team who will have special

training. Their role will be to create relationships with popular media stations in all markets Lyft

exists in. Should a crisis occur, Lyft will already have working relationships with the platforms

on which it can release a statement. Creating a media kit will also be important for Lyft as it

attempts to prepare for any crises. This kit will include most recent press releases, a company

history, its CSR initiatives, and identification of spokespeople. It will be critical for Lyft to

respond transparently and quickly to any crisis situation. Brand reputation is Lyfts best buffer

against potential crises. It is important for Lyft to create strong brand favorability and trust with

consumers in every market. The partnership with the nonprofit Splash will also help to create

credibility as a brand that cares about people. This will help to give Lyft the benefit of the

doubt with consumers and stakeholders should a crisis arise.

Phase 1

Canada-Digital & Print

In the first phase of expansion Lyft will enter the Canadian market. The target cities will

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be Toronto, Ontario and Vancouver, British Columbia. The largest advertising platforms here are

digital, television and newspaper so Lyft attempts will target all three advertising platforms.

Advertisements in Canada will align with the cultural themes of equality, inclusion and respect.

Advertisements will appear in both English and French since both are languages spoken in

Canada. The Digital and paper advertisements will be the same with the copy reading Rides for

Everyone (APPENDIX #1).

Print ads of the Splash partnership may also appear in the Canadian markets since it is a

society that favors respect and equality and will find the nonprofit aspect of Lyft an added

appeal. These advertisements will simply say Make a splash and show children from around

the world receiving clean water (APPENDIX #2).

Canada-TV Commercial

The commercial will have a similar theme and be tied directly to the print advertisement.

The scene will be set with a man standing on the corner with his dog when he orders a Lyft on

the app. The man quickly realizes he has left something in the house so he commands the dog to

stay and races inside to retrieve it. The Lyft driver then pulls up to the corner and looks around.

He only sees the dog sitting on the corner. The scene then cuts to a dog riding in the front seat of

the car sticking his head out the window. A voiceover then says Rides for Everyone and the

Lyft logo appears on the screen. The commercial will play on the two most popular TV stations

in Canada which are CTV and Global.

Canada-Social Media

The TV commercial will appear on CTV and Globals social media pages as inclusivity is

something that will resonate with the majority of visitors. The Make a Splash ads will be on

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these pages with links to Splashs website and options to donate to Splash directly.

Brazil-TV Commercial

In the second part of phase 1, Lyft will launch in two cities in Brazil, Sao Paulo and Rio

de Janeiro. The largest advertising platform in Brazil is television. Lyft will air a TV commercial

on the two most popular stations in Brazil which are Rede Globo and Rede Record. The

commercials will play in Portuguese, the national language. The concept of the commercial will

consist of Lyfts playful brand image, while appealing to Brazils popular advertising themes of

sex and openness. The concept for the commercial is as follows: A group of men are riding in a

Lyft seeing all the traditional sites of Brazil such as Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf

Mountain. The men are getting out and taking pictures and then getting back in the car to go to

the next location. They are indifferent to the sights. The Lyft driver notices this and winks at the

men in his rearview mirror. The next scene shows the men looking happy as they get out of the

car and step onto a beach. The camera spans to the side where a sign reads nude beach and a

voiceover says taking you to the sights you really want to see. The final image of the Lyft logo

appears on screen.

Brazil-Billboard

Brazil will also have a billboard campaign written in Portuguese. The billboards will be

posted on popular highways leading into and out of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The copy will

read See all the sights and have the Lyft logo. The picture will be of a woman sunning herself

in a pink bikini. This is in line with Brazils love of sexual openness in their advertisements. It is

also in line with Lyfts playful brand image (APPENDIX #3).

20
Phase 2

France-Digital & Outdoor

Lyft ads for France will be online as well as feature billboard advertisements. These ads

will play off the extremely sexual and seductive nature of french advertising as well as its humor.

Advertisements for print and digital will both be in French and simply read Need a Ride? The

image will be of a naked woman wearing a tiny pink mustache (APPENDIX #4). These will

appear as Facebook advertisements (Facebook holds 90% of the market share in France) as well

as billboard and traditional print advertisements.

France-TV Commercial

The Lyft TV commercial will air in France on the popular stations, TFI and France 2, and

will be in French. The commercial will play on seduction as well as spectacle and humor. The

commercial begins with a woman exiting a hotel room and kissing her date goodnight. He closes

the door and she enters an elevator. She walks out into the lobby and out of a revolving door, but

a piece of her shirt gets caught in the door and tears completely off as she exits the building. She

is standing on the street topless, covering her breasts with her hands. For a moment, she looks

panicked but then pulls out her phone and orders a Lyft. Seconds later a man pulls up in a car

with the Lyft logo and asks Do you need a ride? She smiles flirtatiously and gets into the car

which drives then away.

Egypt-Digital & Print Ads

Advertisements in Egypt will be in Arabic and center around a launch in Cairo. Egyptians

21
are a proud people after going through a recent revolution. However, they are also playful and

have a large tourist population. The low cell phone penetration, only 36%, means that a large

portion of those using the Lyft app will be the proud youths who played a large part in the

revolution, as well as tourists coming to see the pyramids. Digital banner and print ads will play

on this pride and tourism. Ads will show the pyramids with a small car parked in front. The

tagline will be The next wonder of the world with the Lyft logo (APPENDIX #6). These ads

will appear as social media banner ads as well as ads in Youm7, El-Balad, and Dostor

newspapers.

Egypt-TV Commercial

The commercial for Lyfts launch in Cairo will also be in Arabic and air on channels

MBC Group and Al Hayat. The commercial will show a man and a woman driving in a car

through Egypt looking at old churches and amazing views. The voiceover will say Egypt is

filled with wonder while the car drives through a picturesque setting. Then the voiceover will

say Now get ready for Egypts next wonder the car will pull up to the pyramids and stop. The

camera centers on the pyramids but then slowly pans down to the Lyft light on the dash before

the Lyfts logo appearing on the screen. This advertisement again remains playful and fun while

emphasizing some of Egypts most beloved treasures and icons.

Phase 3

Saudi Arabia- Digital & Newspaper

The most popular forms of advertising in Saudi Arabia are digital, TV, and newspaper.

All advertisements will be in Arabic and ads will be centered around the launch city of Riyadh.

22
Ads will appeal to the extreme wealth and luxury in Saudi Arabia. Digital advertisements will

show stylish and luxurious cars driving and winding quickly through the city of Riyadh at night.

At the end of the short clip the tagline will read Arrive in Style with the Lyft logo. These ads

will play on social media platforms such as Facebook. There will also be still advertisements in

the newspaper and online that also read Arrive in Style with a picture of an expensive car and

the Lyft logo (APPENDIX #5). Newspapers to run this ad will include Al-Jazirah, Al-Riyadh,

Okaz, and Al-Sharq al-Awsat.

Saudi Arabia-TV Commercial

The TV commercial will also be in Arabic and run on popular TV stations such as MBC

Group and Rotana Group. The themes of luxury and wealth will be involved, but motifs of

tradition that are popular in Saudi Arabian culture will also be present. The commercial will

feature a well-dressed man wearing a suit and an expensive watch arriving in a private plane. In

front of the plane is a stylish Bentley. He looks forward and smiles. Then he walks around the

Bentley and gets into a modest Lyft car. There will be a plate of dates and tea for his

consumption. He relaxes and enjoys the trip through the city. The voiceover will say Make your

journey a part of the experience. Then the man will arrive at an incredibly fancy hotel filled

with well dressed people and the tagline Arrive in Style will appear with the Lyft logo. While

this is a little more serious than other ads, the playful start and relaxed tone will still be in line

with Lyfts global brand image of fun.

Thailand-Digital

Lyfts final launch will take place in Bangkok, Thailand. In a city with many

23
transportation options and two rideshare companies already on the market, Lyft will need to

appeal to culture to stand out. The people of Thailand connect with sentiment and emotional

connection. This is why Lyft will choose to accentuate its partnership with Splash and its

philanthropy to differentiate it from competitors. Advertisements will all be in Thai. Digital ads

in the form of banner advertisements will be placed on social media pages and popular websites.

The ads will say Make a difference or Make a splash both with the Lyft logo (APPENDIX

#2 & #7). The TV commercials will double as digital video advertisements.

Thailand-TV Commercial

Two commercials for Lyft will be in Thai and will air on popular channels such as 24

News and Channel 3. The commercials will also appeal to Thailands culture of emotion and

values of sentiment. The first commercial advertises the functions of Lyft, while the second

illustrates the charitable aspects.

The commercial starts off in Thailand's downtown core where taxis are being hailed left

and right. Two men exit the same financial building, one in a suit and one in a custodian

uniform. They both hail a cab at the same time. A taxi pulls up, and they both reach for the

handle. The man in the suit explains how he needs it more since he is off to a meeting, and

though the custodian man is reluctant, he agrees. The executive gets to his meeting a few minutes

late. Every day, they hail the same cab, and every day, the executive has somewhere important

he has to get to with the custodian man giving up the taxi. Eventually, the custodian man knows

to just give up the cab. One day we see the custodian man wait outside the building and pull out

his phone to order a Lyft. He sees the executive suit man struggling to hail a cab and tells his

driver to wait. He offers the executive man a ride, and since the custodian man's destination is

24
closer, they drop him off first. He picks up his young daughter, and shes happy to see that he's

not late yet again. The executive man looks after them as he drives away. He is still thoughtful

about the event as he arrives to his meeting early for a change. The next day, before the

custodian man can even pull out his phone, the executive man, in his Lyft, opens the door for the

custodian man. Text on the screen will appear and read: Its not too late to make a change.

The second commercial will feature a woman riding in the back of a car. She will be

smiling and looking out the window. As she drives past, children will be laughing, playing on the

sides of the street or even waving hello. She will wave back. A voiceover will say: What if you

could do something that really matters every single day. What if you could help those who need

it most? By riding with Lyft your morning commute could change a life. Give back with Lyft.

Then the Lyft logo will appear.

Proposed budget for media spending and campaign:

The overall of global advertising and public relation budget is estimated at

$15,909,912.60. The budget is distributed into six countries within each region. We have

considered global average costs for some marketing tools, such as social media platforms and

banner ads. The PR budget, including CSR, is approximately $200,000 in each country. The

average cost of all the social media platforms are $15,000 worldwide (The content factory). In

addition, the average cost for a banner ad on Facebook is $0.50 per click (Facebook Advertising

cost).

We have analyzed the average expenses for newspaper, TV, and billboards within each

country. Canadas budget is around $4,131,152.00 that will be distributed into local marketing,

public relations, advertising, and social media. The cost for a half page colorful ad in The Globe

25
and Mail newspaper costs $10,697 (National 2017). CTV prices $100,000 for a 30 second spot.

Therefore, we are going to air Lyfts ad twice a day, four times a week for four months (The

star.com) (APPENDIX #8).

Brazil has a budget of $4,777,657.12 for advertising, public relations, and social media.

A billboard size 576w x 168h" in either Sao Paulo or Rio de Janeiro costs $309,506.40 for four

months (Billboard Advertising Direct). To air a 30-second spot in Rede Globo Channel will cost

$3,992.33 (Mckinsey.com) (APPENDIX #9).

$3,533,323.60 is the overall budget for France. Billboards size 576w x 168h" in Paris

costs $85,590.90 (Billboard Advertising Direct) (APPENDIX #10).

Egypt will receive a budget of $963,697.92 which will be put into newspaper, PR, ads,

and social media for Egypts budget. A full colored page on the Ahram newspaper costs $15,500

(Ahram Newspaper prices. 2015) while MBC MASR television network prices a 30-second spot

$3303.06 (Digital boom.com) (APPENDIX #11).

Saudi Arabias budget is $1,576,241.92 for newspaper, social media, advertising, and

public relations. A full colored page on Okaz newspaper costs $40,699.12 (Okaz newspaper

prices, 2017). MBC-sports channel prices a 30-second spot during prime time at $5,158

(Brandingwatchdog.com, 2016) (APPENDIX #12).

Finally, Thailands advertising and public relations budget is $927,840.00. Channel 3

prices are $8,370 for a 60-second spot (AdvertisingAge.com) (APPENDIX #13).

Metrics for campaign evaluation:

Our primary goal of the global advertising and public relations campaign is to build Lyft

awareness within each region. In order to achieve our vivid objective, we are going to utilize

26
several methods to assess the effectiveness of our global campaign. First, tracking how many

people have downloaded Lyfts mobile application. Second, analyzing passenger traffic flows.

This means we are going to monitor how many orders and riders occur each day. The third

approach is to include coupons with codes in print and digital ads to determine whether ads or

publications generates the best results (AllBusiness Editors). Fourth, we will compare pre- and

post-advertising traffic on Lyfts website by investing in software that generates easy-to-read

traffic reports (AllBusiness Editors). Fifth, we are going to utilize the click-through rates for

online advertising. This metric provides us with performance reports. It will determine how long

people are spending on Lyfts site and how many pages they are viewing per visit (AllBusiness

Editors). Sixth, there are numerous professional websites to evaluate the engagement on social

media and provide either a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly or annually report. For instance, we

are going to use the Buffer website that will analyze the follower growth, influence report,

volume of posts, reach rate, total engagement, engagement per post, engagement per follower,

clicks, and social referral traffic (APPENDIX #14).

Comparing the sales and revenues before, during, and after our international campaign

using the six metrics below will provide an idea of how successful the campaign is:

1- The Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) is a metric used to determine the total average cost

Lyft spends to acquire a new customer.

2- Marketing percent of CAC is the marketing portion of the total customer acquisition cost.

3- Ratio of Customer Lifetime Value to Customer Acquisitions Cost (LTV: CAC) is a way for

Lyft to estimate the total value that Lyft derives from each customer compared with what Lyft

spends to acquire that new customer.

27
4- Time to Payback: CAC shows the number of months it takes for Lyft to earn back the CAC it

spent acquiring new customers.

5- Marketing Originated Customer percent is a ratio that determines which portion of your total

customer acquisitions directly originated from marketing efforts.

6- Marketing Influenced Customer percent takes into accounts all of the new customers that

marketing interacted with while they were leads, anytime during the sales process.

Conclusion

Ridesharing will be the norm of the future. Though public transit will be a staple to any

major city, ridesharing has become the more convenient and affordable way to truly get

consumers where they need to go. Taking Lyft global is by no means an overnight task. The

sprinkler effect and decentralized strategy will expand Lyft slowly but steadily. It is pivotal to

have a decentralized strategy since the prospective countries of penetration are so different and

sensitive in their cultures. Lyft will adapt their marketing strategies to suit the country cultures

and economy, however the main takeaway of the brand is that it is fun and has personality.

This image of Lyft will be a refreshing look in the ridesharing industry compared to the cold feel

of Uber. With each country having its own unique budget, a series of commercials, outdoor, and

newspaper advertisements will be created specifically for each countrys design. To properly

penetrate the global market, a sprinkler effect will be conducted so that Lyft can take its time and

learn how to properly infiltrate countries and learn from their mistakes and wins. Once

penetration has occurred, the brand must be maintained. Using the six metrics indicated, data

will be gathered to analyze whether Lyft moving into these global countries has been done

28
successfully. An analysis of these numbers will provide a better idea of where the budget should

be allocated for the future. Lyft has the ability to create a global presence in all the regions of the

world, but it must do with great research and sensitivity to prospective cultures.

29
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35
Appendices

Table 1:

North America: Canada Overview


Total population: 36,560,327

Language(s): English, French

GDP (USD): 1.551 Trillion GDP

Cell phone penetration: 79.5%

Internet penetration: 32,120,519 Internet Users (2016)

Main form of Advertising (based on spending): Digital, TV, Newspaper, Radio, Social Media, Magazines

Rideshare providers: Uber, Kangaride, Carpool, Rideshare, CarShare, RideHail, DriveAway, The Ride, Turo,
All Stop,

Main form of transportation: Cars (Private), Buses (Public)

Top TV channels: CTV, Global, AMC, HBO Canada, Sportsnet

Top radio stations: CHOI 98.1 Radio X Qubec, CHOU 1450AM - Radio Moyen Orient, CHXX-FM ROCK
100.9, 104.7 2day FM Hit Music Now

Top newspaper: The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, La Presse* now digital except Saturday, Le Journal de
Montral, Metro Toronto

Social media usage: 56.1%

Advertising key values: Equality, Respect for cultural differences, Freedom, Peace, Law and order,
Generosity

Geert Hofstede* Canada


Power Distance Individual Masculinity Uncertainty Long Term Indulgence
ism Avoidance Orientation

39 80 52 48 36 68

Target Cities
Toronto, Ontario Vancouver, British Columbia

Population: 2.8 million Population: 603,502

36
Main form of Public Transportation: Public
Transport: subway, streetcar and bus Main form of Transport: Transportation:
subway and bus
Graph 1

37
Table 2

South America: Brazil Overview


Total population: 210,783,983

Language(s): Portuguese

GDP (USD): 1774.72 Billion

Cell phone penetration: 64.7%

Internet penetration: 66.4%

Main form of Advertising (based on spending): television, billboards and signs in city streets, electronic media
magazines, newspaper

Rideshare providers: Carpool, Uber, Didi, 99

Main form of transportation: cars (private transportation), metro, buses (public transportation)

Top TV channels: Reded Globo, Rede Record, Sistema Brasileiro de Televisaro (SBT), Rede Bandeirantes (Band)

Top radio stations: Globo, Jovem Pan, Transamerica, Mix

Top newspaper: Super Noticia, Folha de Sao Paulo, Globo, O Estado de Sao Paulo

Social media usage: 63%

Advertising key values: overt expressions of sex, openness, female nudity, sensual clothing

Geert Hofstede* Brazil


Power Individualism Masculinity Uncertainty Long Term Indulgence
Distance Avoidance Orientatio
n

69 38 49 76 44 59

Target Cities

Rio De Janeiro Sao Paulo

6.45 million Population: 11.96 million

38
Population:

Bus, metro Bus, metro


Main form of Transport: Main form of Transport:
Graph 2

39
Table 3

Europe: France Overview

Total population: 66,808,385

Language(s): French

GDP (USD): 2,570.0 billion USD

Cell phone penetration: Fixed 60.8%, Mobile 98.5%

Internet penetration: 86.4%

Rideshare providers: Uber, carpool, Karzoo, BlaBlaCar, Le Taxi, Le Cab

Main form of transportation: Car (private transportation), Metro (public transportation)

Main form of Advertising (based on spending): TV, digital, outdoor, magazine, newspaper, radio, cinema

Top TV channels: TF1, France 2, 3, 5, M6, Canal+

Top radio stations: Oui FM, France Info, Europe 1, FIP

Top newspaper: Le Monde, Le Figaro, Le Parisien, Liberation

Social media usage: Facebook has 90% market share, Twitter 8.4% share

Advertising key values: la sduction, le spectacle, l'amour, and l'humour

Geert Hofstede*

Power Distance Individualism Masculinity Uncertainty Long Term Indulgence


Avoidance Orientation

68 71 43 86 63 48

Target Cities

Paris

Population: 2.24 million (city), 10.5 million (suburbs)

Main form of Public transportation: metro


Transport:

40
Graph 3

41
Table 4

Africa: Egypt Overview

Total population: 95 Million

Language(s): Arabic

GDP (USD): 330.78 Billion (2016)

Cell phone penetration: 36.9% (2017)

Internet penetration: 33% of population

Rideshare providers: Uber, Careem, and Ousta

Main form of transportation: Cars (Private), Buses (Public)

Main form of Advertising (based on spending): Digital, TV, Social Media, Newspaper, Radio.

Top TV channels: MBC Group, Al Hayat, ERTU - ETN ESC, and CBC Extra

Top radio stations: Nogoum FM, Nile FM, Radio 9090, and Mega FM 92.7

Top newspaper: Youm7, El-Balad, Dostor, and Yallakora (sports)

Social media usage: 88%

Advertising key values: Humour

Geert Hofstede*

Power Distance Individua Masculinity Uncertainty Long Term Indulgence


lism Avoidance Orientation

70 25 45 80 7 4

Target Cities

Cairo

Population: 7.7 Million

Main form of Transport: Public Buses, cars, Taxi, and Metro

42
Graph 4

43
Table 5

Middle East: Saudi Arabia Overview

Total population: 33 million

Language(s): Arabic

GDP (USD): 646.00 Billion (2016)

Cell phone penetration: 58% (2017)

Internet penetration: 64.7% of population

Rideshare providers: Uber and Careem

Main form of transportation: Cars

Main form of Advertising (based on spending): Digital, TV, Social Media, Newspaper, Radio.

Top TV channels: MBC Group, Rotana Group, Saudi TV, and MBC PRO SPORTS

Top radio stations: MBC FM, Rotana FM, Saudi Radio, Alif Alif FM, and UFM

Top newspaper: Al-Jazirah, Al-Riyadh, Okaz, and Al-Sharq al-Awsat

Social media usage: 59%

Advertising key values: Hospitality, family ties, and ancient Bedouin traditions

Geert Hofstede*

Power Distance Individualism Masculinity Uncertainty Long Term Indulgence


Avoidance Orientation

95 25 60 80 36 52

Target Cities

Riyadh

Population: 4 Million

Main form of Cars


Transport:

44
Graph 5

45
Table 6

Asia: Thailand Overview


Total population: 68 Million

Language(s): Thai

GDP (USD): 395 Billion (2016)

Cell phone penetration: 90%

Internet penetration: 42.7% of population

Rideshare providers: Uber and Grab

Main form of transportation: Taxi, City Bus, Tk-tk, and above-ground (BTS) and underground light-rail

Main form of Advertising (based on spending): Digital, TV, Social Media, Newspaper, Radio.

Top TV channels: 24 News (Thai), channel 3, Modernine, and MVTV

Top radio stations: BBTV Channel 7, COOL Fahrenheit 93, and MCOT

Top newspaper: Daily News, Khao Sod, Kom Chad Luek, and Thai Rath

Social media usage: 67%

Advertising key values: Emotional or sentimental value

Geert Hofstede*

Power Distance Individualism Masculinity Uncertainty Long Term Indulgence


Avoidance Orientation

64 20 34 64 32 45

Target Cities

Bangkok

Population: 5 Million

Main form of Taxi, City Bus, Tk-tk, and above-ground (BTS) and underground light-rail
Transport:

46
Graph 6

47
Image 1

Image 2

48
Image 3

Image 4

49
Image 5

Image 6

50
Image 7

51
Appendix 8

Appendix 9

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Appendix 10

Appendix 11

Appendix 12

53
Appendix 13

Appendix 14

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Appendix 15: Sample Press Release for Entry into Canada

55
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 2018

Gia Giambrone
GCM Consulting
802 802 8022
ggiambrone@gmcconsulting.com

Lyft to Drive Across the Border into Canada

Toronto, Ontario, Canada -- January 8, 2018 -- Lyft, a ride share provider from the United
States, will be entering the Canadian market this week as the first stop on their road trip to a
global launch. Lyft will soon be providing ride share services in Toronto and Vancouver via a
mobile app. Lyft allows customers to request and pay for rides via a mobile application. Riders
are provided with a color that corresponds to an LED light on the drivers dashboard to help
ensure customer safety. Riders can also expect robust promotional deals associated with the
launch including free rides and discounts for new customers. Finally, customers can anticipate a
friendly and fun ride to their destination.You may recognize the quirky brand as the owners of
the mustache car seen parked around the city.

Lyft is an incredibly playful brand we like to have fun and hire drivers that will give riders an
unforgettable experience. However there is one thing our organization is very serious about and
that is people. Our customers mean everything to us. We want to be seen foremost as safe and
inclusive, the personality and the fun should be secondary, said CEO Logan Green. While it
may seem contradictory that a company donning mustache cars is serious, they have the backing
to prove it. Besides the safety measures taken with riders, they also plan to partner with charity
Splash, to help do their part as a now global organization. Green went on to state Splash
provides clean water to children worldwide. We couldnt be more thrilled about the partnership
and to be doing our part to give back.

This quirky brand identified by its pink logo or mustache symbol is taking its customers and its
global launch very seriously. Within the next year Lyft will expand to other countries including:
Brazil
France
Egypt
Saudi Arabia
Thailand
###

About Lyft: Lyft is a ridesharing app founded in the San Francisco, CA, USA in 2012. Lyft aims to provide an
enjoyable riding experience to consumers. The company currently services only the United States but within the
next year will provide services to seven countries worldwide. The brand is playful and fun while remaining serious
about safety, service, and inclusivity.
Appendix 16: Sample Press Release for Splash Partnership

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 2018

Gia Giambrone
GCM Consulting
802 802 8022
ggiambrone@gmcconsulting.com

Lyfts new Partnership is making a Splash!

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada -- February 12, 2018 -- Lyft, the exciting new ride sharing
application Canada has come to know and love has made good on its promise to partner with global
nonprofit organization, Splash. Now 1% of proceeds from every single ride purchased using the mobile
application will help to provide clean water to children around the world.

Not only did we want to give back to the global community we are now apart of with this launch said
CEO Logan Green, but we also wanted to make our customers feel good about choosing to ride with us.
Eric Stowe, founder of Splash was equally thrilled with the partnership: One of our mottos at Splash is
People first. People second. People third. we believe Lyft is the perfect organization to help further our
mission because they live by this same motto. Now something as simple as your morning commute can
allow you to give back in a big way! Lyft customers can have a fun experience and still feel like they are
contributing. Lyft customers are quirky and caring, just like our organization. We hope this partnership
will mean as much to them as it does to us stated Green.This partnership with Splash is a global
initiative. As Lyft continues to expand to other markets, proceeds from rides worldwide will contribute to
the fund.

Last year Splash spent over $3 million to clean the water available to children in Nepal, China, India,
Ethiopia, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Vietnam. Some initiatives of Splash include:
Working with local governments to create methods of water cleaning to provide sanitary drinking
water to children
Building relationships with local organizations to ensure maintenance of toilets
Hygiene education for children and families

###

About Lyft: Lyft is a ridesharing app founded in the San Francisco, CA, USA in 2012. Lyft aims to provide an enjoyable riding
experience to consumers. The company currently services only the United States but within the next year will provide services to
seven countries worldwide. The brand is playful and fun while remaining serious about safety, service, and inclusivity.
About Splash: Splash is a nonprofit social justice organization that provides long-term solutions for water sanitation to provide
drinking water to children worldwide. Splash provides sustainable technological solutions to water sanitation as well as hygiene
education to help children lead safer, healthier lives.

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