Too Good to Ignore: Taskrabbit & The Tube in 2024

There’s an advertising campaign that’s been running all year in the UK’s capital city that’s been consistently hitting the most challenging of KPIs: making Londoners smile.

This elusive accolade has been achieved through outstanding craft and by following the often-ignored fundamentals of effective advertising.

1.??????? IMPACT – will people notice it?

2.??????? COMMUNICATION – does it tell them something?

3.??????? PERSUASION – will it effect change?

For those still scratching their heads, I’m not talking about one of the traditional heavyweights. Perhaps because of their increasingly bureaucratic processes, many of them seem to struggle to make people laugh.

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No, one of my 2024 advertisers of the year is gig economy innovator Taskrabbit . Why? Because their joyful work on the London Underground is turning even the most stubborn commuter frowns upside down.

1. IMPACT – will people notice it?

The local media buy is a smart one. With limited budget, rather than spread themselves too thin, a decision has been made to predominantly concentrate spend in an environment that gives the creative work a chance to stand out from the crowd.

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We’re talking about high dwell time situations where people are looking for something to read. The fact that it’s harder to be glued to your phone on the underground because the Wi-Fi is so patchy, only increases the likelihood of commuters noticing entertaining work.

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And that’s exactly what Taskrabbit have been able to deliver. In isolation, each execution is hard to ignore, but when they’re viewed as a series in quick succession, they’re even more rewarding. Everyone seems to have a favourite and I’ve even heard a group of late-night revellers having a heated debate about which one they love the most.

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So, what is it about the creative that makes it so eye-catching? Firstly, it’s a lesson in how to successfully borrow from what’s going on in popular culture. The adapted lyrics to well-known songs is a master stroke, but only because the Taskrabbit versions are so good. It’s easy to hear the tune of the original because the new words have been so well crafted. Plus, they’re genuinely funny, whilst being informative. That’s a killer and rare advertising combo.

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The parody song selection is equally smart and attention grabbing. Timeless bangers like ‘Last Night a DJ Saved My Pipes’ run alongside songs from 2024’s most topical artists including Taylor Swift and a new Oasis execution - ‘Don’t Flat Pack in Anger and Hire Usain’ that captailises upon the band’s headline grabbing reunion.

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Finally, the simplicity of art direction that uses everyday people who have the same name as the artist behind the song is a lovely touch. Working alongside a consistent design system, the casting and treatment ensures that a Taskrabbit advert is easy to spot, whilst reflecting the fuss free and inclusive nature of the brand.

2. COMMUNICATION – does it tell them something?

It’s all very well grabbing attention, but effective advertising obviously needs to do more than that. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of bullsh*t out there, fuelled by agency strategists over intellectualising what’s required. Perhaps this is why brands continue to tell us to ‘Live [insert adverb]’ or to ‘Find your… [insert noun]?' As well as sounding pretentious and displaying a complete lack of imagination given the volume of offenders, it’s bloody hard to decipher what they’re on about.

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Refreshingly, Taskrabbit land one simple message in every execution. A message that’s wrapped up beautifully, but never at the expense of clarity.

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They’re also no stranger to incorporating some behavioural science to support that message. For instance, the impressive number of jobs each tradesperson featured has done is communicated helps to dispel any myths that these are cowboys at work.

3. PERSUASION – will it effect change?

This is where the media buy comes into its own. They’re talking directly to time poor people. Taskrabbit’s message therefore couldn’t be timelier, especially given the range of services the advertising shows they can offer. Everything from window cleaning - ‘I Can See Clearly Now Lorraine has Gone’ to garden maintenance is covered off.

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Crucially, the work also speaks to genuine truths about DIY. Whilst B&Q tell us that ‘You Can Do It’, Taskrabbit unapologetically remind many of us that we can’t. To quote Taylor in one of the ads, I am indeed ‘Never Ever, Ever, Putting that Together’.

So, what next for a brand that many hadn’t heard of a year ago?

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Business in buoyant in London despite fierce competition, and there’s now genuine anticipation about what they’ll release for Christmas and next year.

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All the evidence points to a need for consistency, with Andrew Tindall from System One’s latest research revealing ‘the brands that score in the top 20% for consistency are more likely to generate awareness, differentiation, fame and attitude change.’ It would therefore be crazy for Taskrabbit to veer off-piste. However, expectations have been raised, new media channels suggested and there’s always the danger of creative complacency creeping in.

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Only time will tell, but based on what we’ve seen so far, I’m confident everyone’s favourite Transport for London tube advertiser is up to the task.