Early Lyft had personality.
Fuzzy pink mustaches.
Drivers as friends.
First bumps.

It stood out because no one expects personality from transportation.

But that was Lyft’s brand promise – you’re not just getting from A to B, you’re becoming part of a community.

That made Lyft memorable.
Worth sharing stories about.
It carved out something new.

Somewhere along the way, though, Lyft drifted. As Uber rose, Lyft reacted. Tried optimizing. Smoothing out the quirks. Maximizing scale and efficiency over community connection.

Today’s Lyft is closer to a muted version of Uber than its own disruptive beginnings. It shed what set it apart to begin with.

Think about the early days of 7UP.

Its “Uncola” campaign positioned the lemon-lime drink in direct contrast with dominant Coca-Cola and Pepsi. By leaning into its contrarian zest and energy, 7UP was noticed, remembered, and carved out market share on its terms.

Lyft needs that “Uncola” spirit once again.

Rather than direct competition, it has to reclaim position as rideshare’s peculiar, effervescent alternative. A return to its founding imagination – transformative moments of surprise, delight, and humanity as people traverse cities together.

Effortless travel infused with personality.

Uber can be the default mass transit for the modern age. But Lyft? Lyft must recenter itself as rideshare's Uncola.

The UnUber.

Fist bump optional but recommended.