Dive Brief:

• Scooter rental company Lime launched its first U.S. advertising campaign by focusing on the Los Angeles market. The multichannel "See You There" effort includes out-of-home (OOH) and digital ads, a limited-edition city guide and influencer-organized events that spotlight community leaders in the region, per an announcement shared with Marketing Dive.
• Lime partnered with a group of "urban optimists" to host a series of live events designed to promote inclusivity and civic pride. Last weekend, Monica Rae of Lit Soul Candles set up a pop-up store to sell her "mindfulness candles" made of aluminum cans from donations to food banks. Lime on Dec. 5 will collaborate on another event with Brian Terada of Be Free Stories, which hosts regular meetups in L.A. to promote inclusion and equality.
• Lime also developed a city guide that's available online and in a limited-edition print zine. It tells in-depth stories about five L.A. neighborhoods. The company enlisted illustrators and writers to highlight the history of locations in Leimert Park, Santa Monica and Venice, Hollywood and Beverly Boulevard, Downtown L.A. and Silver Lake and Los Feliz.

Dive Insight:

Lime's multichannel campaign aims to show how its app-based scooter rental service frees people to explore more of their urban surroundings while leaving their cars at home. Lime this year said L.A. residents had logged 3 million rides on its electric scooters, making the city one of the most prolific "micromobility" markets in the world and a key target for its service.

The company aims to help tackle traffic congestion in the city that cost each resident an average of 128 hours in lost time in 2018, per traffic data compiled by Inrix. By working with L.A. community leaders and influencers on pop-up events that urge people to attend in person, Lime could strengthen its positioning as a means to connect people with their local communities and social causes.

Studies from business intelligence platform PSFK and marketing consulting firm Barkley, among others, have shown that younger consumers, in particular, favor products and brands that value inclusion. Multicultural consumers make up almost 40% of the U.S. population, but multicultural media spending is only 5.2% of total ad and marketing spend, per a study by media researcher PQ Media.

"See You There" follows Lime's "Unlock Life" push from May that highlighted how the brand has a positive effect on people's lives by giving them more mobility choices. That campaign arrived as scooter companies faced mounting complaints about injuries, traffic law violations and sidewalks clogged with parked scooters.

Dissatisfaction with scooter companies has inspired several internet memes, including an Instagram account run by a scooter seller that stokes hostility toward rentals. Unlike Lime's "Unlock Life" campaign, the "See You There" push has a sunnier, more optimistic tone that emphasizes community and inclusiveness.