Uber’s advertising division in Australia has launched Sponsored Items with Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) as its first brand partner to leverage a new advertising surface on Uber Eats.

Powered by Criteo, the network provides consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands with Sponsored Items opportunities directly on the Uber Eats app. Followed by a successful launch in the US and Canada, this new suite of performance advertising capabilities increases the discoverability of relevant products and brands, while driving value for both Uber Eats and its brand partners. 

Uber selected Criteo to power the new offering earlier this year, providing the underlying technology globally to activate CPG brands within the Uber Eats grocery and convenience shopping experience. Through Criteo’s Commerce Media Platform capabilities, CPG brands in Australia can now promote their brand and products via Sponsored Items activations on Uber Eats’ app, with plans to launch additional formats and surfaces by the end of the year.

Uber head of advertising in Australia and New Zealand, Michael Levine said, “Uber helps millions of users in Australia go anywhere and get everything, and this allows us to help connect brands with consumers during their interaction with the Uber platform.

“As we continue to invest in our advertising capabilities, this new advertising surface on Uber Eats will give brands in Australia the tools to capture the attention of ready-to-purchase consumers. As a commerce leader within the grocery and convenience industry, we are excited to continue to expand our category offering across QSR, CPG and non-endemic verticals.”

Coca-Cola is Uber’s first brand partner to activate Sponsored Items on Uber Eats in Australia, allowing the CPG company to increase visibility for items across its portfolio of beverages, including Coca-Cola soft drinks, Mount Franklin, Powerade and more.

CCEP head of digital, Anna McLoughlin added, “At Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, we’ve long enjoyed the value of in-aisle features at physical stores to promote our beverages. Thanks to businesses like Uber Eats, consumers have an increasing number of digital options to purchase CPG and it’s imperative for CCEP to adapt our advertising strategy to reach new and emerging channels.

“We’re excited to launch as Uber Eats Australia’s first brand partner on this new advertising surface, and we look forward to seeing the impact of boosted visibility across our product range on a ‘digital shelf’”.

Criteo managing director for Australia, Colin Bernard commented, “Uber’s everchanging and innovative services are uniquely positioned to develop an engaging retail experience that allows brands and marketers to drive awareness of their brands by interacting with consumers at point of purchase. We look forward to helping brands in Australia best leverage Uber’s new advertising offering and help them navigate a whole new way to market to consumers.”