Uber shows Hong Kong how to ‘Skip The Kung Fu’ with Uber Taxi in new campaign via Special

Uber and independent creative agency Special have teamed up with renowned martial arts actor Louis Koo to highlight the challenges of traditional street hailing.

The campaign cleverly plays on the double meaning of ‘Kung Fu’, which in Cantonese also means ‘effort’. A full-scale Kung Fu-style standoff becomes a fitting metaphor for the struggle of searching for a taxi, while Louis smoothly navigates through the chaos to his e-hailed Uber Taxi, effortlessly bypassing the struggle entirely.

The campaign was teased on Louis’s social media, where he announced he was saying goodbye to Kung Fu for good… only to reveal that it was the wasted effort of searching for a taxi he was leaving behind.

Special, along with local partners and Kung Fu specialist director Adam Liu and stunt coordinator Jack Wong, worked closely to ensure authentic representation of martial arts in the campaign.

Special Managing Director Lauren Portelli said, “Bringing together a hybrid team of our Australian brains trust, with incredible local partners, helped us create an idea that truly felt Hong Kong. Filmed in the heart of Causeway Bay, we were able to capture how easily Uber Taxi lets you bypass the obstacles of street hailing, getting you where you need to go.”

Special Creative Directors, Sarah Parris & Dan O’Connell observed, “Martial arts films are experiencing a bit of a renaissance in Hong Kong cinema at the moment, and we wanted to make something that felt true to the genre. Working with one of the best directors in the region, Adam Liu, and a bona fide legend of the Hong Kong film industry, Louis Koo, was great. They made the project as easy as e-hailing with Uber.”

Head of Marketing Toga Leung said “At Uber Taxi, we are dedicated to providing an effortless experience for the people of Hong Kong. As a local who grew up captivated by iconic Kung Fu movies, I’m excited to see that passion come to life in this culturally relevant and entertaining campaign. Collaborating with a diverse creative team at Special, alongside our talented local partners, has been instrumental in shaping this campaign. With over a decade of experience in Hong Kong, we understand the unique challenges residents face while travelling— challenges that often require their own form of ‘Kung Fu.’ “

The brand campaign spans TV, online, Social and OOH and is supported by a promotional campaign that will give away HK $1,000,000 of discounts on promotional cards, on the streets of Hong Kong.

Client – Uber Taxi
Director Of Marketing, APAC: Andy Morley
Head of Marketing, Hong Kong: Toga Leung
Marketing Manager, Hong Kong: Charmaine Wu
Senior Marketing Executive: Venus To
Creative Director, APAC: Adam Ledbury
Brand Strategy Lead, APAC: Dan Palise

Lead Creative Agency – Special
Partners/CEO : Lindsey Evans & Cade Heyde
Partners/CCO: Julian Schreiber & Tom Martin
Creative Directors: Sarah Parris & Dan O’Connell
Creatives: Tim Seddon & Gene Brutty (Imagine If Labs)
Social Creative: Khiang Tan (WowWowTank)
Managing Director: Lauren Portelli
Team Lead: Erin Stace
Business Director: Megan McIntosh & Adam Reeves
Business Manager: Howan Tong
Group Strategy Director: Celia Garforth
Strategy Director: Phoebe Fielding

Creative & Production Partner – Omelette
Creative Director/Founder: Vivian Fung
Creative Director/Founder: Charles Hau
Producer: Peggy Mok
Line Producer: Benny Fung
Talent Manager: Fiona Lam

Film Director & Production
Production House: THE FUTURE PRODUCTION
Director: Adam Liu
Executive Producer: Benny Fung
Line Producer: Pat Lui
Co-Producer: Joseph Mak
Producer: Will Ke & Roy Ran
Dop: Zhongqiang Liang
Trinity: Zhifeng Du & Beilin Liang
Action Director: Jack Wong
1st Assistant Director: Bernie Chiu
2nd Assistant Director: Jason Wan
Production Manager : Tommy Liu
Art Director: Man Lim Chung
Styling: Vann Kwok
Hair Stylist: Dave Ng
Mark Up Artist: Nichol Chau
Casting Director: Ron Lee & Any Wong

Post Production
Offline Editor : Yang Song
Online Editor: Glint Post
TC: Yao Colorgrading
Sound Designer and Mixing: 20k-Miles & Light Club Multimedia Limited

Social Director & Production
Director: Ben Sum
Executive Producer: Dicky Wu
Producer: Ziva
Director Of Photography: Hung
Production manager : Samuel
Art Director: Abbie
Post-production: Light Club Multimedia Limited
Producer: Fanny
Editor: Denise
Online: Marcus
TC: Kwun Wong
Audio Mixing: Bear

Photography/KV Director & Production
Production House: Workhouse
KV Photographer: Lawrence Ng
KV Producer: Even Yeung

BTS & Social Photo
Production House: INGWORKSTUDIO
Photographer: Issa Ng

Media Agency – EssenceMediacom
Tiffany Ng
Adrian Lee

PR Agency – Golin