The creative idea behind Smart Spokes, was to use the spokes of Uber Eats delivery partners’ bikes and transform them into an outdoor for the brand and for safety on the road, with the installation of the Jyrokinetic LEDs from Eyes Japan. As the tech allows for simple animations to be played on the spokes, we started by creating a character inspired by Japanese iconographic design. The animations showcased the character highlighting the importance of visibility, space and care for every cyclist on the road.

Smart Spokes was on the streets of Tokyo from the 24.10.2017 until the 28.11.2017. The campaign was “broadcasted” on an average of 6 to 8 hours a day by Uber Eats delivery partners distributing orders all around Tokyo.

Smart Spokes helped raising the awareness of Uber Eats off line and online, plus give extra in loco exposure to the Eyes Japan new tech.

No other info is available due to the internal privacy policies of the brands involved.

Smart Spokes transformed Uber Eats delivery partners’ bikes into a moving outdoor for the brand and for safety on the road.

By equipping each bike with the Eyes Japan Jyrokinetics LED system that allows for simple animations to be played on the spokes, showcasing the importance of seeing, caring and giving space to cyclists, we were able to reinvent the outdoor medium with the innovative use of technology.

The strategy for Smart Spokes was to target adults living and working in Tokyo, that eat out regularly and or order food delivery, plus those who have an interest in new technology and are fans of biking in the city for work or leisure.

The secondary target audience was adults driving in Tokyo for work or also leisure. Although cycling throughout Tokyo is getting more and more common, the majority of drivers still see cyclists as a nuisance that shouldn’t be taking space on the roads. Cyclists are still “pushed” to bike on sidewalks and leave the roads for cars.

In a city of 30 million people and an ever-increasing number of cars, the dangers facing cyclists in Tokyo is becoming immense. Although it’s one of the safest cities in the world, on the road cyclists are still in constant risk as they’re disregarded by drivers. The absence of bike lanes and stronger regulation protecting those who commute on two wheels forces bikers to use the sidewalks, putting this way pedestrians in danger.

At the same time, the increase of people using bicycles as a means of transport has also been significant, making for road safety campaigns being particularly timely.

Our briefing was to bring to life an innovative partnership between Uber Eats and Eyes Japan, a tech-start up from Fukushima Prefecture, to make the streets safer for everyone on two wheels.