Ola salutes driver partners in new campaign

‘Heroes of Ola’ is an initiative by Ola to identify and reward driver partners who go beyond their call of duty to serve and delight customers.

Ride service hailing company Ola's latest communication is an ode to its driver partners. ‘Heroes of Ola’ recognises the efforts of driver partners who continue to go above and beyond their call of duty. The minute-long digital film, released as a part of the campaign, has been conceptualised by Leo Burnett.

The Bengaluru based brand, established in 2010, is reaching out to its 200 million+ consumers through various platforms, to enable sharing of their experiences with Ola driver partners, who have through their gestures or exemplary character, gone beyond the call of duty.

The programme highlights the fact that a driver partner’s heroism can come in many forms - from taking that extra turn to returning a forgotten phone or a bag that a customer may have left behind in the cab, to the several instances of compassion to injured animals on the roadside or support to a pedestrian in need of help.

In a press release, Arun Srinivas, chief sales and marketing officer, Ola, said, “More often than not, the contributions of driver partners go unnoticed. We find thousands of instances around us of courage, compassion and empathy from our service providers. 'Heroes of Ola' is one such platform to bring these inspiring experiences to the forefront.”

“The ‘Heroes of Ola’ platform aims to showcase and appreciate the efforts of Ola’s driver partners who ensure that customers have a delightful experience, even if it means going beyond their call of duty. These experiences can serve as inspiration to fellow driver partners as well as every one of us in whatever we do.”

We’re so proud to recognise our #HeroesOfOla driver partner Gopu, who went above & beyond to return jewellery worth Rs. 2.5L which was left behind in an Ola Auto by a customer in Coimbatore. pic.twitter.com/ckiEtQSXfW

— Ola (@Olacabs) January 17, 2020

Turns out a lot! Your feedback means the world to us and the ones who drive you.
Share your #HeroesOfOla stories with us. pic.twitter.com/LY5jVl6n7w

— Ola (@Olacabs) January 10, 2020

Ola’s customers can share their stories with #HeroesofOla on the brand’s social media channels, including Instagram and Twitter, as well as through their in-app feedback section.

Prakhar Deogirikar, creative director, WYP Brand Solutions, thinks it is a good idea. "The drivers are the lifeline of the brand and it's a good strategy to create stories around them," he says.

He, however, feels that the execution could have been better and the situations less cliched. The voice-over could have been far more evocative, he says.

"It feels like the brand went in for urgency while going live, rather than wait for a better execution of the idea. But overall, I think it is a step in the right direction from Ola," he comments.