As spectating (the other team “sport”), becomes the world’s hottest fad for a week, Uber has become the champion of showing up. The campaign focuses on the importance both of meeting up with friends to combat loneliness and showing up to support friends and family in their endeavours.

The strategically brilliant campaign uses the world’s “showing up” event, the Olympics as the backdrop to underline its message. But a 90-second commercial, created in-house, does the heavy lifting.

It opens with a montage of people being deserted, underlined by Lou Reed’s anthem to loneliness, Perfect Day. As the film’s mood changes, so does the music. The Beatles’ I Want to Hold your Hand, underscores joyous scenes of connection.

The campaign positions Uber and Uber Eats as the facilitator of “showing up” and introduces the brand’s new tagline, On Our Way.

The hero commercial debuted during the Opening Ceremony in both the US and France, and will run across Uber’s app, website, email and organic social, with paid support including YouTube and TikTok posts, influencer marketing and digital placements. It will also be rolled out globally in the coming weeks.