Under the ongoing onslaught of Russia’s invasion, ordinary Ukrainians perform heroic and selfless acts every day to help their fellow citizens. Ride sharing app Uber is helping Ukrainian drivers tell their stories and experiences of facing war to the world in a campaign to raise donations for the country’s United24 foundation.
The “Keep Ukraine Moving” campaign was created by the Ukrainian agency Banda featuring three films directed by Oleg Tomin. The films each tell the first-hand stories of Oksana, Dima and Pasha as they navigate the country while supporting the war effort.
“The day after I took them out, the bridge was blown up,” relays Oksana, one of the drivers who rescued people unable to evacuate, during her film.
The films will run within Uber’s app and platforms across the U.S., Canada, the U.K., the Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Portugal, France, Romania and Ukraine, as well as across Uber’s media channels globally.
As it rallies support for Ukraine, Uber will also match the first $1 million raised to support the Ministry of Health of Ukraine to buy new ambulances. Donations are being accepted through a dedicated website.
The production crew shot the campaign amid bombings and air raids, with shooting ending each day by 6 p.m. to allow the crew to return home ahead of curfew. Dubbing of the video during post-production was also halted at times due to missile strikes on Kyiv, the agency revealed.
“After nine months of full-scale war, the heroic people of Ukraine need our support more than ever,” said Anabel Diaz, regional general manager of mobility for Uber. “Ukrainian drivers have kept their country moving through times of unimaginable hardship, and this is a way to share their stories of selfless bravery with the world.”
Uber has continued to operate in the country despite Russia’s invasion. Banda had previously worked with Uber as its creative agency, and developed the “Be Brave Like Ukraine” campaign.
Rick Serdiuk, strategic creative director of Banda, added: “We combed through the news, tweets and posts, conducted personal interviews and discovered a plethora of breathtaking stories. A man drove an elderly couple from Kyiv to the Polish border for 26 hours. Naturally, for free.”
Serdiuk continued: “A man who evacuated residents of Bucha while Russians were present. And a woman who went right up to the front lines to rescue a family with two children and three cats. For the campaign, we chose to feature three drivers. But stories like theirs happen all the time in Ukraine—thousands that we are completely unaware of.”
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