# Confidence-Boosting Free Cab Rides EXCEL Gum's Toronto Campaign Seeks to Promote Connections By Kalin Ned | Published 2019-01-23 | Marketing Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/free-cab-rides References: [facebook](https://www.facebook.com/excelgum/) & [youtube](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjggmf6-CxP3gv4aLsMhifuQp2YlAfnw0) [EXCEL Gum](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/excel-refreshers-popup) has quite an interesting campaign coming up next month that will provide Toronto youth with free cab rides. On February 7th, the company will be arranging shared lifts via #ConnectionCabs across hot spots in the city. The only prerequisite to partake in the campaign is to share the ride with someone else and make a connection with that person. EXCEL Gum's free cab rides were inspired by a recent survey about confidence. It revealed that plenty of young adults (aged 18-24) in Canada are reluctant to interact with new people and enter in unpredictable social settings. While the #ConnectionCabs are there to give those individuals a playful nudge, the format of the campaign is cleverly inspired by the popularity of [Uber](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/really-good-mood-machine) and [Lyft](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/discounted-rideshare) among younger demographics. The #ConnectionCabs activation is an extension of Excel's #MakeConnections campaign, which features real stories of missed connections. Excel hopes these efforts will encourage more Canadians to be confident and strike up connections when an opportunity presents itself. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.4/10 - Popularity: 5% | Activity: 28% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Marketing](https://www.trendhunter.com/marketing) > [Branding](https://www.trendhunter.com/branding) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Playful Ride-sharing:** The trend of using ride-sharing services for creative and interactive campaigns presents an opportunity for businesses to engage with a younger demographic in a fun and innovative way. - **Promoting Social Connectivity:** The trend of encouraging face-to-face interactions and connections through marketing initiatives provides a chance for companies to foster community engagement and boost confidence among young adults. - **Leveraging Consumer Insights:** The trend of using survey data and consumer insights to drive marketing strategies allows companies to tailor their campaigns to address specific challenges and target audience needs. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Ride-sharing:** The ride-sharing industry can explore partnerships with brands to create interactive campaigns that promote community engagement and social connectivity. - **Marketing and Advertising:** The marketing and advertising industry can leverage consumer insights to design campaigns that address confidence issues and facilitate meaningful connections between individuals. - **Consumer Goods:** The consumer goods industry can incorporate confidence-boosting elements into their products and campaigns to appeal to young adults seeking social connection and increased self-assurance. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Back-To-School Promotional Winter Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/backtoschool-promotion1.md) - [Fruity Gum Installations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/excel-refreshers-popup.md) - [Safe Social Interaction Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/chew-it-before-you-do-it.md) - [Gum Chewing ASMR](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/excel-study-beats.md) - [Cheeky Chewing Gum Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/find-your-fresh-look-campaign.md) - [Social Connection Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/is-this-seat-taken-campaign.md) - [Perks-Filled Activations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/really-good-mood-machine.md) - [Chocolate Reconnection Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/reconnect-roulette.md) - [Men-Focused Deodorant Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/smells-like-a-date.md)