Here we go again. COVID infections are climbing at alarming rates in the United States. Yet, safety guidance varies from federal to state, state to county, and county to cities and towns—even from one school district to another. Why can’t more communications around COVID and personal safety be as clear and to the point as those from Uber?
Uber’s message is straightforward across all of their platforms—from email to website to apps:
No mask. No ride.
They say, “We all play a role in helping keep each other safe. That’s why as part of our Door-to-Door Safety Standard, riders and drivers are required to wear a face cover or mask, even when vaccinated—if you’ve received the COVID-19 vaccine, you’re still required to wear a mask when using Uber.”
Doesn’t leave a lot of room for debate or “well, what if…?” or “yeah, but…,” does it?
You want to ride Uber? You’ll wear a mask. It’s a stellar bit of clear and concise business-to-consumer messaging. Uber even made videos to add context and emotion to their safety rules.
As a writer-for-hire, I’ve been involved in creating corporate communications for decades. I’ve always tried to sell clear, transparent, to-the-point, copy to company clients who, for some reason, seem hell-bent on including corporate speak, process, and six or seven quotes from the organization’s leaders who were involved in the program. A massive body of research shows that consumers don’t believe or value corporate executives’ quotes about their company’s products and services…but, that’s a story for another day.
Uber found, as they created their personal safety rules that some of the advice developed applies to all of us, everyday. Here’s what the Uber folks say about their Wash, Wear, Air initiative:
“It started as a safety message to our users: wash your hands before you ride, wear a mask, and roll down your window for airflow. Then we realized—this goes way beyond Uber.
“When put in the context of our everyday lives, Wash Wear Air becomes a ritual we should all adopt for nearly everything we do. Meeting up with friends? Wash your hands, wear a mask, and hang outside. Returning to the office? Wash your hands, wear a mask, and keep a distance from co-workers.
“That’s why we’re inviting you to help spread the word with free access to Wash Wear Air assets. Together, we can reach a wider audience and educate more people about these simple steps we can all take to help keep our communities safe.”
I’m not connected to Uber in any way and have been fully vaccinated and I encourage you, my fellow riders, to learn more by visiting their safety webpages. I’d appreciate you sharing the message.
And, from me to each of you with all due respect:
GET VACCINATED. AND, WEAR THE DAMN MASK.
We can get through this, my friends. For the most current, most accurate information on COVID-19, visit Johns Hopkins’ Coronavirus Resource Pages. And, fellow travelers, visit Uber for updates on their policy and rules.
