Imagine you’re walking down the street, mind full of meetings, inbox overflowing, and then—BANG!
A beat hits your ears. It’s unexpected yet infectious. So, you stop mid-stride.
… but wait a minute. Is that… a rap about food?
YES!
However, the beat is not just about any food; it’s also about that sacred moment a lot of us crave—before the chaos, before the convo, before even making eye contact:
“Let’s eat first.”
Yes, we’re serious.
Welcome to one of the most unexpectedly delightful guerrilla marketing campaigns to come out of 2024: Uber Eats’ “Erstmal Essen” (Let’s Eat First)—a delicious fusion of street culture, music, and appetite!
Photo from Clio Awards
The genius behind this brilliant move was Scholz & Friends, a Berlin-based creative powerhouse whose strategy wasn’t to push ads into people’s faces.
Instead, Scholz & Friends dropped a track—an actual, vibe-heavy, chart-climbing song.
The artist?
Underground German rapper Dilla, who crafted a banger that didn’t just talk about food but also made it sound spiritual.
Picture lyrics like:
“Before the drama, before the stress… let’s eat first.”
Suddenly, eating before anything becomes the battle cry for an entire generation.
No flashy Uber Eats logo in the chorus. No heavy branding hammer. Just pure vibes, culture, and cravings.
Here’s how the campaign played out:
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The Music Video: A Trojan Horse With Fries
The campaign’s music video didn’t scream “Buy Now.”
Instead, it whispered, “Don’t worry, we got you.”
Set in relatable everyday scenarios—from late-night studio sessions to awkward meet-ups—it all circled back to one truth: A lot of things go smoother after a good meal.
… and nestled in the background?
That familiar green hue, a delivery bag, a wink of Uber Eats—subtle, slick, and impossible to ignore!
We’re telling you; if the music was the hook, the video was the seasoning turning an ordinary message into a cultural meal.
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Out-of-home (OOH) Ads That Took Over Berlin (and the Algorithm)
The campaign didn’t stop at headphones. It spilled into the streets.
Billboards across Berlin screamed “Erstmal Essen” in bold, unapologetic typography. However, this wasn’t just a street campaign; it also became a meme, a motto, and an Instagram caption all in one!
TikTok duets rolled in… people quoted it at parties… even journalists caught themselves saying it mid-broadcast.
Basically, “Erstmal Essen” wasn’t just marketing but also a cultural takeover.
The Results: Served Hot with a Side of Wins
Now, let’s talk real numbers… because vibes are great, but KPIs pay the bills.
Here’s what the “Let’s Eat First” campaign achieved:
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44%+ Increase in Sales – That’s not a typo. The campaign drove real, measurable growth. In fact, orders via Uber Eats flew in faster than fries in a McDonald’s kitchen rush hour.
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21%+ Boost in Brand Awareness – More people knew Uber Eats. Not from ads, but from a song they enjoyed listening to.
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Major Awards – The campaign bagged shiny accolades from the Art Directors Club (ADC), Clio Awards, D&AD, and Effies. These confirmed what we all knew: This thing wasn’t just fun; it was also good marketing!
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#5 on German Hip-Hop Charts – The track charted alongside Germany’s biggest hits. This clearly shows music and marketing working in sync!
What else?
Germany may have been ground zero, but this campaign had legs—and appetite—across borders!
Soon, a Dutch remix popped up, featuring Dutch singer Frans Bauer. Uber Eats also scaled the campaign in Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Ireland, Poland, and Romania.
Each version adapted to local tastes while staying true to the core message:
“Before we talk, meet, or hustle—let’s eat first.”
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In a world where ads chase consumers like a dog after a mailman, Uber Eats did the opposite.
It invited people in. It made them smile, nod their heads, and get a little hungry.
By doing so, Uber Eats didn’t just earn clicks or orders but also affection.
So, the next time you’re about to brainstorm your “next big marketing idea,” take a cue from this playbook:
Start with a beat. Serve it with a purpose. Wrap it in joy. Then, whatever happens… let’s eat first.
About The Dynamic Marketing Communiqué’s
“Fridays: Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing”
Jay Conrad Levinson (1984) said that Guerrilla Marketing “works because it’s simple to appreciate, easy to execute, and inexpensive.”
Guerrilla Marketing is unconventional.
Looking beyond the traditional ways of advertising, marketers and advertisers need to spice things up in order for their brand to have campaigns that not only make an impact but also stick to their target market’s mind.
Guerrilla Marketing usually aims to have direct contact with consumers.
This type of direct contact should spark an emotional reaction that leads to consumers effectively remembering the brand.
It’s about making a big impression and making that impression last a long time (if not forever).
Guerrilla Marketing can be inexpensive.
The effect of this is being able to create a buzz around the brand, and the strategy used to market it. Almost everything is passed around through word-of-mouth.
Word-of-mouth is one of the greatest outcomes and it usually doesn’t cost anything.
This is every business’ or brand’s dream!
Every Friday, we publish tips, examples, and other useful content on unconventional ways of marketing and promotion.
Learn more about how to grab your target market’s attention and make an amazing first and lasting impression without having to spend a lot of money.
Businesses don’t really need to spend much for a guerrilla campaign. You do not need a big budget to be successful. You just need creativity and a good imagination.
Hope you find this week’s guerrilla marketing insight interesting and helpful.
Stay tuned for next Friday’s “Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing!”
Cheers,
Dyane Diasanta
Senior Content Writer
Valens Dynamic Marketing Capabilities
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