Brief:

• DoorDash launched a digital and social media campaign to urge delivery drivers to share stories of why they work as drivers, giving them a chance to win a virtual meeting with Arizona Cardinals cornerback Prince Amukamara. The food-delivery service is featuring the Super Bowl champion in its #WhyIDash campaign, while also raising money for charity, per an announcement emailed to Mobile Marketer.

• DoorDash is asking drivers to post their stories of "why they Dash" to Instagram and Twitter with the #WhyIDash hashtag. As part of the campaign, Amukamara appears in a one-minute video explaining why he decided to work as a DoorDash driver during his spare time in the pre-season, making more than 300 deliveries and donating the earnings to his charity, the Others Foundation.

• Amukamara had challenged himself and his sisters "to Dash for good" by supporting their communities, neighbors and friends, and plans to continue the effort in the off-season. DoorDash donated $25,000 to the Others Foundation as part of the campaign, per its announcement.

Insight:

DoorDash is looking to amplify how its drivers value the flexibility of working as a delivery driver for the company with its #WhyIDash campaign, while also showcasing its support for charities like Prince Amukamara's Others Foundation. By offering drivers a chance to win a virtual meeting with the NFL star, DoorDash has created an incentive to participate in the campaign by sharing their personal stories about why they like working for the app.

A marketing push that highlights the benefits of delivery work comes as DoorDash faces an expensive election-season battle in California. The company is among the gig-economy apps, including Uber, Lyft, Postmates and Instacart, that have spent more than $200 million to support Proposition 22, which would provide an exemption to a controversial law requiring them to hire drivers as employees rather than treating them as independent contractors. Their campaign has touted the flexibility of gig work, a theme echoed in DoorDash's #WhyIDash effort.

DoorDash aims to show that it's a good corporate citizen by donating to Amukamara's Others Foundation, which promotes inclusivity and understanding among people from different backgrounds. The cause-driven effort is likely to appeal to DoorDash's target consumer group of young adults, who tend to favor brands that support social movements and are more likely to order food for delivery. Thirty-four percent of people ages 18 to 24 ordered food through apps during the onset of the pandemic, more than any other demographic group, a survey by researcher CivicScience found this year.

DoorDash's #WhyIDash campaign follows its recent #DashToThePolls promotion that urged people to register to vote. With that campaign, DoorDash also collaborated with a professional sports star to help reach a broader audience. The company worked with NASCAR driver Darrell "Bubba" Wallace Jr. on a livestreamed show on Instagram to answer questions about voting. For Election Day, DoorDash is waiving delivery fees on orders of more than $15 nationwide with the promo code "VOTE," showing how it's linking a cause with its business.

Amid restrictions on restaurants and the unwillingness of consumers to dine out during pandemic, DoorDash last summer initiated another cause-driven effort to support independent eateries. Its "Without Restaurants" campaign sought to remind people of the central role that restaurants play in helping them celebrate fun occasions. In March, DoorDash worked with the National Restaurant Association on its #OpenForDelivery campaign to urge people to support the restaurant industry and its millions of workers.