Faced with the challenge of attracting skilled professionals in a competitive market, Uber wanted to create a unique experience that would build its talent pool while leveraging its app. To do this, Uber Ads, Engineering, and Talent Acquisition came together to create an innovative, gamified ad campaign, leveraging the power of its platform in a way that not only underscored Uber’s commitment to technology-driven solutions. The campaign embedded interactive coding challenges into the app, and engineers using the service were prompted to test themselves with challenges such as ‘see if you could build the app you’re using right now’. This approach not only engaged candidates in a meaningful way but also pre-qualified high-interest applicants, expediting their entry into Uber’s recruitment pipeline.

The aim was to redefine digital recruitment by turning a routine user experience into an innovative talent engagement opportunity – participants engaged with Uber not as passive consumers but as active participants solving a real-world challenge. Furthermore, it meant Uber could use its traditional ad space to launch a new recruitment marketing platform. The challenges showcased cross-functional collaboration rather than siloed working, with benefits beyond the recruitment process adding value to the overall Uber ads platform.

The pilot campaign achieved measurable success, generating over 200,000 impressions and significantly boosting brand visibility. It also brought multiple candidates into the recruitment process and highlighted the scalability of the approach. Future plans include expanding the initiative to underserved communities and universities, aiming to diversify Uber’s talent pool. By merging technology with recruitment marketing, Uber demonstrated how interactive and immersive strategies can evolve beyond static ads to attract top talent and strengthen employer branding.