Uber Taiwan reimagines chaos of hailing taxis with humorous campaign

Uber Taiwan has launched an 8pm drama-inspired campaign that humorously reimagines the chaos of hailing taxis to promote its Uber Taxi e-hailing service.

In Taiwan, 8pm drama (八點檔) is a cultural term referring to the primetime television slot at 8pm, commonly featuring popular dramas or variety shows. These dramas are often recognised for their exaggerated storylines and scenes.

The campaign arises from Uber's data showing that nearly 60% of taxi rides in Taiwan are still hailed from the street, often leading to unpredictable delays and frustrations, whether for a party, a meeting, or a trip to the airport.

To bring this all-too-familiar scene to life, Uber Taiwan has teamed up with three 8pm drama stars, including Vicky Tseng (曾莞婷), Miao Ko-Li (苗可麗), and Chen Kuan-Lin (陳冠霖), as the 2025 brand ambassadors in a hilarious, drama-style commercial titled “Skip the drama! Taxi is on Uber” (跳過攔車鬧劇！Uber也有小黃). In Taiwan, "小黃" refers to the traditional yellow taxis.

Inspired by classic Taiwanese 8pm drama tropes, the ad has reimagined the chaos of hailing taxis in a humorous and relatable way, while highlighting the reliability and convenience of Uber Taxi - a service that uses the same meter pricing as street-hailed taxis, but with all the advantages of a smart, digital platform.

One of the five ads features Chen nervously hailing a taxi, fearing his lover Tseng will catch him. Tseng wants a taxi for a DNA test to prove Chen is the father of a baby he claims isn't his. Amid their chaos, they bump into Miao, who spills her coffee while also trying to hail a taxi. Just then, an Uber Taxi arrives, and a young man calmly gets in after hailing it through the app.

To further promote the campaign, Uber Taiwan held a press conference, inviting the three ambassadors to perform additional scenes from the new ads. They also shared their own dramatic experiences of hailing taxis.

Margarita Peker, general manager, Uber Taiwan, said: “Uber has always focused on addressing consumers’ needs through technology. From last year’s remake of the iconic song ‘Walk on Zhongxiao East Road Nine Times’ (忠孝東路走九遍) to this year’s 8pm drama-themed campaign, we aim to engage Taiwanese audiences with familiar cultural expressions that resonate.” 

Back in September last year, Uber Taiwan invited the Taiwanese band Power Station (動力火車) to remake their iconic song “Walk on Zhongxiao East Road Nine Times” as 忠孝東路攔九遍. The ad featured Power Station following people in a rush who are struggling to hail a taxi while singing the song.

According to Uber data, ride demand around 8pm has seen rapid growth - in 2024, the number of trips during this time slot increased by nearly 1.5 times compared to the previous year, with Saturday being the peak day. The most popular pick-up and drop-off locations are city transport hubs, night markets, and shopping districts. 

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Uber for more information. 

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