A Wren Says

There’s that old saying that parents use to dissuade their children from following the crowd. “If everyone jumped off a bridge, would you do that, too?” The boldest say yes, but the sentiment remains the same. The action might help you fit in, but it might also be harmful to you. Think before you do things just because everyone else is doing them. I thought of that as I continue to reflect Youber, the year-review from Uber.

Year end reviews for apps have become extremely popular. First popularized by Spotify, these personalized summaries are everywhere. And that everywhere now includes inside your Uber app. The question Uber could have asked was not if they wanted to follow along with everyone else. They should have asked whether or not jumping off that cliff could be harmful to them. With the type of data they hold on their customers, would a summary be well received?

Perhaps you loved the Youber and are glad they made it. But even in that case, you could take this thought and apply it to other brands. Brands have to evaluate whether or not following trends is in their best interest. Perhaps doing so will mean that you don’t get left behind. Although you might find you’ll fall off if you do.