MAM
Uber launches UberOne to make ridesharing easier
MUMBAI: : How many times have you been left stranded waiting for another Uber driver to accept your request after the first has said yes and then cancelled at the last minute?
Almost all of us have fallen victim to this behaviour with Uber drivers at the end of a long day when we have wanted to get home after a tiring day at work or a long haul flight.
Well Uber has heard travelers’ painful complaints and launched UberOne, its first membership program in India. Its intent: bring unprecedented savings and exclusive benefits to millions of riders across the country. Uber’s global membership program offers discounts and exclusive experiences for rides, helping members navigate everyday life more easily.
Passengers can pick up one of two membership plans: Rs 149 per month or Rs 1499 annually. Uber will also offer exciting launch period discounts on the monthly plan. With UberOne, members can access exclusive savings and benefits, making it a smart choice for riders. Members can enjoy up to 10% UberOne credits on each ride, resulting in significant savings and valuable perks.
As a first-of-its-kind program in the Indian ridesharing market, UberOne reflects Uber’s commitment to understanding local preferences, ensuring that its tailored offerings cater to the needs of its riders in India.
Now here comes the clincher: preferential access to the highest-rated drivers. By prioritizing quality and reliability, members can expect an elevated experience every time they ride with Uber, ensuring their safety and convenience. Additionally, UberOne provides premium, round-the-clock customer support exclusively for members. This dedicated support team ensures quick and efficient resolutions to any issues, enhancing the overall experience for riders.
“Mobility is essential and affordability is paramount and with the launch of Uber One, we’re excited to bring a unique membership experience to our riders in India,” says Uber India & south Asia president Prabhjeet Singh. ” We understand the importance of value and convenience in everyday travel, and we’re committed to delivering a program that offers just that. Uber One is designed to enhance our riders’ experience and make every journey even more rewarding.”
The membership program is available across all Uber ride options, including UberGo, Premier, XL, Reserve, Auto, Moto, Intercity, Rental, Shuttle and Package – making it accessible for a wide range of travel preferences. Uber users can sign up directly from the latest version of the Uber app, gaining immediate access to the benefits.
MAM
VML India lands two finalist spots at Cairns Hatchlings 2026
The Mumbai agency is back in Australia with two teams, a UN brief and 24 hours to impress
MUMBAI: VML India is heading to Australia again. The Mumbai-based creative agency has secured two finalist spots at the Cairns Hatchlings 2026 competition, one in the Audio category and one in Design, making it the only Indian agency to have reached the finals in both editions of the contest since its launch in 2025.
Four people will make the trip. Senior copywriter Shilpi Dey and senior art director Raj Thakkar will compete in Audio. Art directors Shabbir and Shruti Negi will go head-to-head with the world’s best in Design. The finals take place at the Cairns Convention Centre from 13th May, culminating in an awards ceremony on 15th May.
The work that got them there is worth examining. For the Audio category, Dey and Thakkar tackled a brief for LIVE LIKE MMAD with a campaign called Inner Voice, Interrupted. Using spatial audio techniques, the campaign recreates the overwhelming self-doubt that descends after a long workday, physically panning negative thoughts left and right before cutting the noise entirely to reveal a confident inner voice. Strategically targeted at commuters via Spotify during evening rush hours, the campaign reframes the hours after work as an opportunity for personal growth and charitable action.
For the Design category, Shabbir and Negi worked on a brief for Canteen’s Bandanna Day, a campaign highlighting how cancer pushes teenagers out of their own defining moments. Using a pixelated design language to create stark contrast between a blurred world of isolation and a focused world of connection, the campaign, titled The Flipside of Cancer, shows teenagers fading into the background of birthdays, skateparks and school proms. As a Canteen bandanna appears, the blur flips and the teenager snaps back into sharp focus.
Kalpesh Patankar, group chief creative officer of VML India, made no attempt to disguise his satisfaction. “We are immensely proud to see our teams consistently excel on the Cairns Hatchlings platform since its inception,” he said. “They have masterfully tackled challenging briefs across diverse categories, demonstrating both layered storytelling and a unique creative approach. This exceptional teamwork is truly inspiring.”
Dey and Thakkar, returning to the finals after last year’s run, were candid about the demands of the audio medium. “It’s one of the most demanding mediums, where we only have a few seconds to capture a listener’s world with sound alone, so absolute clarity is essential,” they said. “The true measure of creative work is its ability to create positive change, and our audio submission was made to help those who need it most while encouraging people to silence the inner voices that hold them back.”
Shabbir and Negi, competing in Design for the first time, described the experience as “a completely different beast.” “We see it as an opportunity to showcase our expertise, raise the bar, and challenge ourselves in new ways, while also learning from creative minds from across the globe,” they said.
In Australia, the four finalists will face a live 24-hour brief from the United Nations before presenting in a live pitch session. Twenty-four hours, one brief, one shot. VML India has been here before. It knows exactly what is at stake.
