Uber Eats’ latest edition of the "Almost, Almost Anything" campaign, featuring Seinfeld star Jason Alexander, taps into the powerful marketing potential of nostalgia to drive engagement. Rolled out across Australia, New Zealand, the US, and Spain, the campaign uses Alexander’s familiar face to promote the message that you can order “Almost, Almost Anything” through the platform.
Best known for his role as George Costanza, Alexander brings a beloved sitcom persona into a modern advertising strategy, one that not only entertains but sets to strengthen consumer loyalty. This approach should grab the attention of brands looking for innovative ways to connect with audiences in a cluttered marketplace.
Nostalgia: A Strategic Tool for Emotional Engagement
Nostalgia has long been recognised as an effective lever in marketing, and this campaign exemplifies how it can be utilised to forge deeper connections with consumers.
Research from Kantar suggests that “nostalgic ads have a +13 point higher likelihood of going viral compared with ads without nostalgia.” Nostalgia can increase emotional warmth, social connectedness, and purchasing intent.
For Uber Eats, this campaign’s success lies in its ability to evoke fond memories of Seinfeld, which has remained culturally relevant across generations and geographies.
For marketing effectiveness, nostalgia isn’t just about reminiscing; it’s about creating emotional resonance. When executed well, it can strengthen brand affinity, encouraging customers to engage not just with your product, but with your brand’s larger narrative.
Alexander says, “There’s always been a special part in my heart for comedy and the iconic tropes of television of yesteryear. Working with Uber Eats in a way that was a self-deprecating homage to these elements and why they perhaps don’t hold true today was genuinely great fun.”
Uber ANZ’s brand lead, Channa Goonesakara, added: “This campaign would not have worked with anyone else in the world. We were over the moon to be able to work with Jason on this latest iteration of our brand platform. His comedic calamity is instantly recognisable. His performance is brilliantly nostalgic as it builds throughout the hero brand film.
“He was the perfect custodian to build on the work of Kendall and Kris Jenner, Nicola Coughlan and Tom Felton to remind Aussies and Kiwis that you can get almost, almost anything on Uber Eats these days.”
Leveraging Cultural Relevance and Expanding Global Reach
One of the smartest aspects of this campaign is how it capitalises on cultural relevance across multiple markets. In Australia, Seinfeld has enjoyed sustained popularity since the 1990s, with reruns still drawing in viewers via channels like Network Ten and streaming platforms such as Stan and Netflix. By tapping into this familiarity, Uber Eats ensures its message resonates with a wide audience, particularly those in their 30s and 40s who have a nostalgic connection to the series.
But the brilliance of the campaign lies in its global reach.
By extending the ‘Get almost, almost anything’ campaign platform globally to Taiwan, Spain, Mexico, the United States, Canada, Chile, Sri Lanka, and Portugal, Uber Eats recognises Seinfeld’s universal appeal and uses it to reinforce brand consistency. This shows brand leaders the importance of selecting cultural touchpoints that can transcend borders while staying contextually relevant in each market.
Why Nostalgic Advertising Works
If your KPIs revolve around boosting consumer engagement, the psychological impact (for the right brand) of nostalgia is invaluable.
Talking to AdAge last year, Sam Zises, CEO at [L]earned Media said “Clearly there is a desire to dive into the past in both the brands we consume and the media we digest.” He continues, “Perhaps it’s a way to seek mental reprieve in a time of high-stress and information overload, or just simply the old adage, What goes around, comes around.”
Uber Eats cleverly builds on this insight by incorporating familiar sitcom conventions—such as canned laughter, awkward social scenarios, and self-deprecating humour—to trigger a sense of familiarity and warmth. The choice of Jason Alexander, a face synonymous with comic mishaps, also plays into the brand’s overarching message that while Uber Eats can deliver “Almost, Almost Anything,” it retains a self-aware sense of humour.
The lesson here is that nostalgia can help humanise a brand, making it more relatable and memorable. It’s not just about using any celebrity—it’s about strategically aligning with someone who represents the emotional connection you want to cultivate with your audience.
And it’s not always Beckham or Clooney.
Maintaining Brand Identity Through Humour
Humour has long been a pillar of Uber Eats’ marketing. Past campaigns featured high-profile figures like Kim Kardashian and Magda Szubanski leaning into lightheartedness.
This latest campaign continues that tradition, blending humour with self-awareness to position the brand as approachable and relatable.
The ad’s comedic tone—centred on Alexander ordering canned laughter to rescue a failed joke—echoes Uber Eats’ ethos of offering convenience while acknowledging that not everything in life goes perfectly.
By doing so, Uber Eats avoids the trap of taking itself too seriously, which could alienate its audience. Instead, it invites consumers to engage with the brand in a fun, lighthearted way that reflects the reality of modern convenience services.
Of course, humour can be a double-edged sword. It needs to be authentic to your brand's identity and appeal to your audience without diluting your core message. Uber Eats strikes that balance well, ensuring its message of convenience and variety doesn’t get lost in the comedy.
Aligning Media Placement with Campaign Goals
Uber Eats’ media placement is another example of intelligent brand strategy. Launching the ad during key events like the AFL Grand Final, which attracts millions of viewers, ensures maximum exposure in a prime setting. Targeting high-traffic moments or culturally significant events can multiply the impact of your message, ensuring it reaches the right audience at the right time.
The campaign’s global roll-out further emphasises Uber Eats' confidence in the universal appeal of humour in advertising. And so what Uber Eats have achieved here is global reach while maintaining local relevance is critical to successfully executing a cross-border campaign.
More examples of "Almost, Almost Anything" ads across OOH since the campaign began in September 2023 include:
Credits:
Uber Eats
Senior Director of Marketing, International: Lucinda Barlow
Senior Director of Marketing, APAC: Andy Morley
Head of Marketing, ANZ: Nicole Bardsley
Brand Lead, ANZ: Channa Goonasekara
Brand Marketing Manager: Rebecca Macciolli
Brand Marketing Associate: Holly Dover
Global Executive Creative Director: Danielle Hawley
Creative Director, APAC: Adam Ledbury
Associate Creative Director: Yessy Downs
Director Communications, ANZ: Peta Fitzgerald
Head of Delivery Communications, ANZ: Nick Vindin
Media Lead, ANZ, Rob Maddison
Strategy Lead, APAC: Josh Pickstone
Sr. Marketing Manager, NZ: Olivia Sykes
Talent and Legal: Cameron Loughlin, Jessica Shao
Special
Partners/CEO: Lindsey Evans & Cade Heyde
Partners/CCO: Julian Schreiber & Tom Martin
Creative Directors: James Sexton & Harry Neville-Towle
Lead Creatives: Joe Ranallo & Will Winter-Irving
Creatives: Hannah McCowatt, Laura Grimshaw & Toby Kennedy
Managing Director: Lauren Portelli
Team Leads: Rachel McEwen, Laura Little
Business Director: Claire Emery
Business Manager: Oscar Kennedy
Head of Strategy: Celia Garforth
Strategy Director: JJ Bender
Head Of Film Production: Sevda Cemo
Executive Producer: Wendy Gillies, Paul Johnston
Integrated Producer: Will Sealey
Head Of Stills: Nick Lilley
Stills Producer: Danielle Senecky
Head Of Design: Adam Shear
Designer: Maggie Webster, Cameron Morris
Finished Artist: Jen Bailey
Exit Films / Smuggler Films
Director: Mark Molloy
Cinematographer: Robert Elswit
Executive Producer: Leah Churchill-Brown
Producer: Alexandra Taussig
Producer: Luigi Rossi
1st AD: Peter Kohn
Casting Director: Jodi Sonnenberg
Chee Productions
Executive Producer: Tamiko Wafer
Executive Producer: Matt Chee
Photographer: Christopher Tovo
Digital Operator: Jake Lowe
Retouching: Cream Studios
The Editors
Editors: Stewart Reeves
Managing Director: Nicoletta Rousianos
Executive Producer: Rita Gagliardi
Lead Flame Artist: Eugene Richards
Colourist: Fergus Rotherham
Rumble Studios
Lead Sound Designer: Tone Aston
Sound Designer: Daniel William
Sound Executive Producer: Michael Gie
BTS Press
Tony Gardiner ACS
Media Agency: EssenceMediacom
Retail Agency: Hatched
