Uber to Dispatch Squad of Mexicans to Your Start-Up in Borderline Vulgar Cinco de Mayo Stunt
Remember Uber? That awful Town Car cab 'start-up' that charges you $50 so you can pretend to be Larry Ellison on the way to brunch? The ones that did the stomach-churning "Hipster Thursday!" promotion? Well shit just got real:
THIS IS WHY PEOPLE ARE SMASHING GENTRIFIED STORE FRONTS ON VALENCIA.
Sorry, give me a moment to calm down.
...
Okay.
So, Uber's team of marketing eyerolls dreamed up the brilliant idea of shuttling around an "instant fiesta" in "three SUVs" (why not Ford Fiestas?) on May 4th for the low-low price of $100. Oh yes. For the cost of two ostentatious joyrides, Uber will delight crowds of dreamy Zynga employees with one mariachi song...whicchh strikes me as just a tad tasteless. There's a line Mission 'transplants' dare not cross, and they're crossing it. Sure, it's one thing to evict the Latino community and take their homes, but overtly exploiting them for a marketing lulz? That's just poor form.
Anyway, have you guys seen my post about Edward Burritohands?
(But seriously, am I justified feeling sick about this, or am I just suffering from a nasty bout of San Franciscan white dumbie political correctness? I mean, they're getting paid, right?)
[via SFist]
Comments
I will grant you that the "on-demand Mariachi" service is stupid and the "Hipster Thursday" was ridiculous, but I use Uber all the time and it costs maybe 10% more than a taxi (there is also a sweet spot where the costs overlap around $11-12 for a taxi ride with tip), the drivers don't drive like fucking maniacs and they're almost always faster getting there and dropping you off.
Don't knock it 'til you try it.
I'm totally with Jacob. These stunts are idiotic but Uber is great. While half of the Mission is fighting with bros for cabs I'm sipping on my beer because Uber's gonna text me when they pull up out front. Usually within 5 minutes of me asking. And their nice. Nice.
I can't wait for these ass clowns to inevitably fail, business to go under and have to move back home, where ever that is. It sure isn't Hunters Point.
They're in 9 different cities (internationally, even). I guess it could all be VC funded, but considering they're basically just taking a cut on every transaction (they don't hire the drivers), I feel like they'll probably do pretty well.
they take a 50% cut of each transaction.. they don't own the cars, and don't hire the drivers.. seems like a profitable model to me.
Already profitable: http://articles.businessinsider.com/2012-02-03/tech/31020061_1_uber-citi...
OMG! Poor people singing for their supper - I love it!
Yeah, Mariachis practically never perform for money!
It's a good thing Mariachi exists, otherwise there would be nothing between me and a very unhealthy lifestyle of 24/7 consumption of Mexican food. They're like a diet plan for enchilada addicts.
There's always something new to hate on.
For a dude who grew up across the country, you've sure developed some pretty strong opinions on a neighborhood and culture that's not your own...but you've got a sense of humor so I guess I can let it slide.
Who gives a fuck where anyone is born (are people only allowed to move to SF in they're brown? why the double standard?) people should give a fuck about a community they're in--born there or not.
Apathy is the real problem.
You should read MissionMission more often, Kevin. If you did, you would know that you're not allowed to have any sort of opinion on anything if you're not from here. Because, really, everybody in SF, especially the Mission is from here.
"Why the double standard?" asks the guy whose go-to literary device is the double standard.
HOOOO YEEEEAHHHHH
WHY NOT MEXICAN WRESTLERS??? GIVE THE HULKSTER A CHALLENGE!!!!! I'VE BEEN BODYSLAMMING MARIACHI'S SINCE I WAS 10!!!!!!!!
You couldnt eat the maiz out of Tito Santanas shit
The mariachis are taking a paying gig. It's not exactly slavery. I guess I can see how it throws the economic disparity into contrast, but you must be aware of that anyway, with or without Ubercab. It's hardly exploitation.
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