Design Concepts, Feb 2023

Transportation advertising that delights

Lyft Media is the first and only media platform specifically designed to engage with users throughout their transportation journeys.

Brainstorming

Hi, Nick and hiring team! Lyft Media opens a world of possibility, so I’ve drafted a few broad ideas for future initiatives. Of course, these ideas are based on my limited knowledge about Lyft’s goals, but I hope you’ll find value in them. Happy reading.

Gaming

Many drivers use tablet-based games like Play Octopus to earn high ratings and extra cash. Lyft Media could integrate branded games into the backseat tablets. These games could be based on the company's products or services and could feature augmented reality elements to make them more engaging.

Interactive Branded Games

Lyft can create augmented reality games that incorporate the real world environment outside the car. For example, riders could play a game that challenges them to spot brand-related items outside the window during the ride.

I Spy

Riders could earn real value through games by winning discounts, gift cards, or prizes related to the brand/advertiser.

Branded Promotions

Bikes

Lyft Media has a huge opportunity in international markets—especially in countries like the Netherlands where cycling is the norm.

International Markets

Tourists visiting cities in the Netherlands are likely interested in bike-centric culture, but they won’t be able to bring bikes with them. Lyft has the opportunity to be a leader in bike tourism by building bike share programs adapted to international standards.

Bike Tourism

Americans Abroad

Although bike rentals already exist in the Netherlands, Lyft can take advantage of their brand equity among American audiences to smoke the competition. As a starting point, we could solve a problem for American tourists using bike rentals, e.g., providing American-friendly advice for how to navigate Amsterdam on a bike.

Amsterdam recently opened a brand new, beautiful underwater bike parking facility (Amsterdam Centraal) that currently doesn’t seem to feature any advertisement or branded material. Lyft could collaborate with the city of Amsterdam to create bike share stations in their newest and upcoming bike storage facilities.

Parking Facilities

Tourism

Lots of people use a rideshare platform while traveling. And, sometimes they didn’t exactly have time to plan every last detail. Lyft can help plan the trip!

Last-Minute Travel Ideas

Lyft can create virtual reality experiences that take riders on a tour of different neighborhoods and landmarks in the city. This could incorporate destination guides offering riders suggestions for things to see and do in the city they are visiting. The interactive guides could include recommendations for local attractions, restaurants, and events.

Virtual City Tours / Destination Guides

Historical Tours

Lyft can partner with local museums and historical societies to create virtual reality experiences that transport riders back in time to important moments in the city's history. This could include recreations of significant events or historic landmarks.

Lyft could partner with local businesses to offer riders special deals on travel-related services, such as hotel rooms or attraction tickets. In-car tablets could display advertisements for current partnerships and reminders to build and use loyalty points.

Local Travel Deals

Virtual Tours

This is an out-of-the-box idea, and it probably belongs on the Vegas strip: Imagine that the windows of the backseat could become an augmented or virtual reality experience for the rider. Basically, the windows are screens.

Windows-As-Screens

Projecting images on car windows poses all kinds of questions about safety. But, what if it only existed in self-driving vehicles? Lyft could be a pioneer and establish best practices for world-class in-vehicle VR experiences.

Self-Driving Vehicles

Backseat Adventures

Adventure tours could be sponsored by Disney+, advertising the latest National Geographic docuseries. Imagine: A South African safari ride, a river cruise along the Amazon, a train ride through the Alps, or a tour through colorful Akihabara.

Brands could also sponsor VR or AR experiences, creating their own unique worlds. Imagine an outer-space VR experience for the latest sci-fi flick.

Immersive Branded Experiences

More Research Needed (Duh)

From what I can find, it looks like GM started researching this technology (i.e., “Window of Opportunity” project) about 11 years ago, but I’m not sure where it stands today. Of course, pursuing this kind of idea would require lots of research and testing.

Let’s work together! You can reach me at annikaorne@gmail.com.

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