Building Better CMOs and Marketing Leaders

David Mogensen, VP of Marketing at Uber: Not Embarrassed to Sell

Sep 6, 2023

VP of Marketing at Uber, David Mogensen, discusses the importance of not shying away from selling in marketing efforts. He reflects on Uber's successful Super Bowl campaign and challenges the notion that selling is a dirty word in the industry. David also talks about the impact of COVID-19 on Uber's business, the intensity of Uber's marketing culture, and the need to change public perceptions of the brand.

01:04:25

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David Mogensen

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Quick takeaways

Embracing selling in marketing drives business growth by making it engaging and entertaining, as shown in Uber's successful Super Bowl campaign with Diddy.

Uber shifts its brand perception by expanding into various mobility solutions beyond ride-hailing, aiming to be the go-to solution for transportation needs.

Balancing performance and brand marketing is crucial for business success, optimizing investment in each to drive sales and brand growth effectively.

Deep dives

The Importance of Embracing the Selling Role in Marketing

Embracing the role of selling in marketing is crucial for driving business growth. Often, the marketing industry shies away from selling as it can be perceived negatively. At Uber, the perspective is different, where they focus on making selling engaging and entertaining, showing that entertainment can lead to sales. For instance, their Super Bowl campaign involved creating a hit song with Diddy to promote their membership program, demonstrating a direct link between entertainment and sales.

Optimizing Between Short-Term and Long-Term Growth

01:27

Cultural Alignment with Company Origins Simplifies Transition

01:13

Thriving in Dynamic Environments

01:47

Introduction

3min

Navigating Uber Through the Pandemic

4min

Balancing Creativity and Business Growth in Uber's Marketing Strategy

20min

Importance of Shipping Optimization and Ongoing Measurement in Marketing

2min

Navigating Measurement and Analytics Challenges in Marketing

16min

Navigating Cultural Differences and Operational Speed in Global Companies

13min

Navigating the Trust Chasm and Marketing Realities

4min

Exploring Undervalued Marketing Channels and Future Opportunities

2min

Full transcript

Uber's big Super Bowl campaign this year was a hit: In the ad, actual Uber executives try to convince Diddy to produce a jingle for the company's membership program, Uber One. The entertaining spot was "about as blatantly overt about selling as you can get," says VP of Marketing David Mogensen — and he's proud of that.

"As an industry, I think we tend to think that selling is a bit of a dirty word," David says. "And so we do all this beautiful work that, as you said, wins all kinds of awards, but it's so afraid of being seen as selling that it doesn't actually sell anything. And in turn, it doesn't move the needle for the business."

Today on Building Better CMOs, David talks with MMA Global CEO Greg Stuart about the impact of COVID-19 on Uber's business, thriving in different work environments (including overseas), and the challenges of measuring a campaign's performance, especially in the mid-upper funnel. He also talks about his previous roles at Google and BMW, what makes Uber's marketing culture more intense than other companies', and changing how the public thinks and feels about the Uber brand.

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This episode was produced and edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm.