In 2016, on-demand transport company Lyft released a brilliant piece of modern adverting in collaboration with Academy Award-winning animator John Kahrs. The short, 7-minute movie entitled ‘June: Life is Better When You Share the Ride’ currently has close to 8 million views on YouTube, making it among the most watched adverts online in recent years.
Breaking the mould of traditional TV animated adverts, this narrative-driven film tells the story of a lonely widow in South Chicago who is inspired to start ‘sharing the ride’ and therefore also sharing her life. It features an original song Movin, written and performed by Lyft driver-turned-recording artist Sir the Baptist, who launched his music career after a connection with a Lyft passenger.
It opens with the protagonist, June, driving to the hair salon, where, while inside, her car is hit by a lorry. This prompts a flashback to the moment she met her husband, the original owner of the car. With a helpful push from her daughter, she is forced to start using Lyft.
When she finally does purchase a new car, a mix-up occurs where a passenger waiting for his Lyft driver mistakes her car for his ride and jumps in. Then, after witnessing a soldier miss his bus, she decides to offer him a lift. She enjoys having the company and decides to take the plunge and become a Lyft driver herself.
June enjoys meeting all sorts of new people and comes to be known affectionately as ‘June Buggy’ on social media. In the film’s dramatic climax, she crashes in the snow while on her way to pick up a passenger. The passenger, seeing she has stopped on the app’s GPS, recruits some friends to go out into the snow and rescue her.
Thanks to Lyft, June has overcome her isolation and has even started to build a community of people around her.
Similar to the McVitie’s advert, we follow a lonely character, who we really want to root for, overcome that loneliness. The scenarios she finds herself in feel real thanks to her distinct idiosyncrasies: the anxiety of the first passenger, the initial fear of picking up someone that appears menacing and the awkwardness when a couple becomes intimate in the back seat all feel palpable.
The animation itself is sharp and intricate and honestly captures the atmosphere of Chicago. The scenes transition with a kaleidoscopic explosion of movement and colour.
And, on top of all that, it includes an original track by former Lyft driver Sir the Baptist. Having had a positive experience first-hand working for the company, he was able to effectively translate the community orientated nature of the brand into music.
Key Learning Points
You might not be able to hire an Oscar winner to help with your animated advert, but think of ways you could build compelling narratives around your product or service. Perhaps someone that works for you, or even one of your customers, has an inspiring or entertaining story about how your company has changed their life, if even in a small way. Storytelling is a powerful tool and people love the personal touch of a true story, especially if it’s heart-warming.