Uber targets second largest market growth with Times of India partnership
Uber has partnered with the publisher of the Times of India newspaper in a bid to shore up its position in the lucrative market – its largest outside the US.
The tie up includes commercial arrangements for marketing and distribution through Times Internet, the digital arm of the Times of India Group, as the taxi startup faces regulatory battles in the country following rape allegations against an Uber in New Delhi.
“Uber has a deep long-term commitment to the Indian market and a vision to create an innovative and entrepreneurial society by bringing transformational technology to more Indians from all walks of life,” the billion dollar startup said in a blog post.
The partnership, similar to those it has in other regions, such as Baidu in China, AmericaMovil in Latin America and American Express in the US, will help the service localise its offering and increase awareness of the taxi app in India through promotions with Times Internet.
Uber founder and chief Travis Kalanick said: “As we continue building innovative and local solutions for the Uber community in India, we are excited to partner with Times Internet, whose leadership shares our vision of a world that brings people and their cities closer together with reliable transportation, everywhere and for everyone. Marketing and distribution are a key part to our strategy for success in India and there is no better partner and platform for this than Times Internet with its print, radio, out of home (OOH), and digital marketing platforms that reach over 200 million Indians"
Uber currently operates in 11 areas in India.