Collaborative development: Will your brand ride with Uber?

Collaborative consumption. What’s that? Simply put, it’s a concept that involves sharing, bartering, lending, trading, renting and swapping goods instead of purchasing them. And with the advancement in data and technology it can be done much more easily and effectively.
One great example of a company built on the model of collaborative consumption is Uber.
An on-demand, app-based car service, Uber entered the Indian market in September 2013, starting with Bangalore. It began operations in Delhi 6 weeks later and subsequently moved into Chennai, Mumbai, Pune and Hyderabad.
Uber’s business model manifested from the idea of creating a simple mobile app that allowed idle limo cars to be put to better use. With bidding options and location based cab finders, Uber eliminatedthe typical wait involved and gave consumers a bit of luxury.
ButUber isn’t a cab company. They simply offer companies and individuals who own ‘luxury’ cabs the ability to allocate those resources to Uber to take advantage of idle time. So Uber is dealing strictly operates in the space of collaborative consumption, taking resources that would otherwise sit idle and putting them to work.
Although most cab companies could be examples of collaborative consumption, mamplifying the service. Not only does the app reflect real-time location and availability of cabs,estimated time of arrival and eliminate security issues but also relaysdata back to the company about high-traffic locations, demographic, trends etc.
With access to such big data, Uber soon attracted other companies that wanted in on the perks of collaborative development. During the months since its arrival into India, Uber has extended this philosophy to partnerships with several other brands. Here’s a fewworth interesting ones worth noting-
Uber partnership with Amattra Spa, Yum Yum Tree and The Manor Hotel for Father’s Day and Mother’s Day
Using Twitter and Instagram as platforms, Uber launched exclusive campaigns for Father’s Day and Mother’s Day where participants stood a chance to win spa treatments, meals, cocktails, free rides and hotel stays at Amattra Spa, Yum Yum Tree or The Manor Hotel.
Uber Partnership with Citibank Restaurant Week India
Every reservation at a partner restaurant during Restaurant Week India was eligible for a to-and-fro ride with Uber.
Uber partnership with NDTV
On voting day, Uberpartnered with NDTV to offer free rides to get to the polling booth and back during polling hours.
Uber Partnership with CricHQ
Using the Uber app to enter a contest, fans stood a chance to have cricket superstars Brendon McCullum&FafDuPlessis pick the up in an Uber ride and take them to the CricHQ India launch party at the New Zealand High Commission.
Uber Partnership with Johnnie Walker Blue Label, Deccan & High Ultra Lounge
Uber teamed up with Johnnie Walker Blue Label to deliver a rare experience of a helicopter ride that could be booked using the Uber app for Rs 4999 (including door-to-door car service, chopper ride and brunch). Customers could snatch the experience of an aerial tour of Bangalore’s iconic places and then a sumptuous brunch at the High Ultra Lounge.
Uber has so far been offering its premium service UberBLACK in India but Just last week it has announced the arrival of its lower-cost service, UberX. This move will put the cab-rental service in direct competition with other cab companies such as Meru and Ola cabs. I think its safe to say more affordable partnerships will soon be underway. So, will your brand ride with Uber?