Francis Amponsah

Designer @ Deloitte

WORK

Deloitte ‘Together Makes Progress’

Visual Identity, Art Direction, Campaign Design

Deloitte (Multiple Projects)

Art Direction, Out-of-Home, Social Media, Branded Apparel

Uber ‘#NoUberWithoutU’

Art Direction, Campaign Design, Social Media

UNC O.A.S.I.S.

Art Direction, Photography, Social Media, Merch Design

Air Jordan ‘George Köehler’ 1s

Art Direction, Footwear Design

#NoUberWithoutU

Art Direction, Campaign Design, OOH

The Challenge

Students in UNC's Advertising Creative course were tasked with picking a controversial company and developing a creative campaign in response to public backlash. My team picked Uber, which at the time was under fire for the following tweet.

***I've since revisited and expanded this concept for my portfolio, sharpening the strategy and bringing the creative vision closer to full execution.

The Insight

Uber's business only exists because of its users, yet its pricing penalized the very communities it depended on most.

The Campaign Idea

#NoUberWithoutU: a year-long campaign of monthly activations tied to cultural celebrations (Black History Month, Pride, Hispanic Heritage Month, Women's History Month, and more). Built around a simple truth: Uber only works because of its users.

Each activation honors that relationship in a way unique to its community - free and discounted rides, charitable partnerships, and surprise celebrity driver experiences with randomly selected riders.

Every moment is documented throughout the year and compiled into a Super Bowl spot reaffirming Uber's commitment to equity, inclusion, and every rider it serves. Black History Month is used here as an example of what each activation would look and feel like in practice.

Black History Month (February)

Black riders were among the first to trust Uber with their safety in a country where hailing a cab often meant being passed by. This February, Uber shows up for them with the following:

Free + discounted rides: Uber offers free or heavily discounted rides to and from HBCUs, African American History museums, Black-owned businesses, and historically underserved Black neighborhoods in major markets.
Supporting ‘Black’ Owned Businesses: Every Uber ride taken in February earns a credit redeemable at a Black-owned restaurant, barbershop, or retailer surfaced directly inside the Uber app.

The Cultural Moment

LeBron James and other celebrities like Chance The Rapper, Taraji P. Henson, Snoop Dogg and Megan Thee Stallion spend a day in February as an Uber driver in their respective hometowns or HBCUs. Riders have no idea it’s them until they pull up. There’s no script or performance just real convos.

Each celeb drives, listens, and connects with people about community, access, and what it really means to show up. Each ride is captured with a light touch, keeping everything raw, intimate, and genuine.

The Point

#NoUberWithoutU isn't about a single month or a single community, it's about every rider Uber overlooked.

When a brand shows up in the right city, with the right person, for the right reason, an activation stops feeling like a campaign and starts feeling like accountability.