Dumiru: Ah, yes, that’s exactly what’s happening. See, when you just translate an ad, you’re not really speaking the language you’re only copying the words. Language is emotional, cultural, it’s how people live, not just how they read. Those Uber ads don’t sound Sri Lankan; they sound like a robot speaking Sinhala. So, yes, most of that ad spend is basically falling into a black hole. The audience doesn’t feel anything. They scroll past. It’s like Uber is shouting from another country and hoping we’ll listen.
Dewmini: True, I felt that too. But look at PickMe their ads feel alive, like real Sri Lankan moments. You can see our people, our cities, our jokes. They show a tuk tuk driver waiting under a tree, or a girl late to class, or someone ordering a ride home in the rain. They get it. So, are you saying Uber is losing ground creatively because they don’t localize?
Dumiru: Exactly. PickMe wins because they belong here. They know what we find funny, what frustrates us, what we love. They show our reality. Uber, on the other hand, is still pushing the same global creative you know, smiling models in some other country, generic music, fancy animations. They just replace the words with Sinhala and think it’ll connect. That’s not how it works. People here have emotional rhythms, the tone, the slang, the body language and if you don’t speak in that rhythm, they won’t care. It’s money spent on impressions that don’t impress.
Dewmini: And now, the timing is tricky too. Bhasha Lanka, the team behind Helakuru, is about to launch HelaGO, right? Their marketing is already all over my feed, and people seem genuinely curious. Since Helakuru has over four million active users, that’s already a massive audience base. What do you think Uber should be feeling right now?
Dumiru: Ooh, yeah, this is the moment things get real. HelaGO is walking into the market with one huge advantage, trust. Helakuru isn’t just an app; it’s part of people’s daily life. They type with it, they read with it, they’ve been with that brand for years. So when Helakuru says, “Hey, we have a taxi app now,” it feels like a friend introducing a new service. Uber can’t buy that level of emotional connection. HelaGO will automatically sound “Sri Lankan,” because it comes from a brand that already is Sri Lankan. And if they keep their marketing tight and relatable, they can shake the whole market.
Dumiru: They’ve tried a few things. For example, Uber launched “Uber Green” in Sri Lanka last year the eco-friendly ride option and they did push it through some local PR and newsroom stories. On the Eats side, they worked with Revo Advertising for that “Almost, Almost Anything” campaign, which actually did quite well and even won a Silver at the Festival of Media Asia Awards. But here’s the catch that’s all Uber Eats. Their delivery arm is doing the creative storytelling, while the ride side of the business is still relying on auto-translated global content. So, it’s uneven. One part of Uber is speaking to Sri Lankans, and the other part is still talking at them.
Dewmini: Hm, that’s an interesting contrast. So you’re saying they can do creative, but they’re not doing it where it matters most right now in rides.
Dumiru: Exactly. It’s like they’ve got a spark, but it’s in the wrong place. If they don’t shift that creativity into the ride space soon, HelaGO and PickMe will corner both relevance and emotion. Because when a new player like HelaGO walks in, with homegrown marketing, relatable visuals, and Sinhala-first communication, Uber’s polished but generic ads will look out of touch. People will go where they feel seen.
Dewmini: If Uber suddenly called you up and said, “Hey Dumiru, help us fix this,” what would you tell them?
Dumiru: (laughs) First I’d say, “Stop translating and start listening.” Then I’d tell them to throw away the templates. Build campaigns from the ground up in Sinhala, Tamil, and English written by Sri Lankan creatives who live the life they’re trying to sell. Show our roads, our chaos, our humor. Use stories from real drivers and riders. Don’t copy a campaign from London or Bangkok. Show Colombo. Show Kandy. Show Galle. Speak like a friend, not a corporation. If they do that, even with a smaller budget, they’ll connect more deeply. If they don’t, they’ll just keep burning dollars on ads that get skipped in three seconds.
Dumiru: I think HelaGO’s launch will be big. They’ll push through Helakuru notifications, influencer mentions, maybe even app bundles or local partnerships. They’ll use Sinhala-first storytelling, emotional videos, things that feel “ours.” Uber will probably notice a small drop in new sign-ups or engagement in key cities. PickMe will also tighten their game they’ve been preparing for this too. So, we’ll see three big names fighting for attention, but the difference is emotional intelligence. Whoever understands the Sri Lankan heart wins. My bet is, HelaGO will make a loud entry, Uber will try to respond fast, and PickMe will play defense by leaning even deeper into local culture and life-style.
Dewmini: That’s a great point emotional intelligence. And as Mozes Studios, what lesson do we take from this? For us as a Sri Lankan creative house, what does this teach us about working with global brands?
Dumiru: It’s a strong reminder that creative success isn’t about how fancy the visuals are, it’s about how true the story feels. Global brands often think they can just “translate” into our market. But they don’t realize translation doesn’t build connection. Only understanding does. When we work with global clients, we need to show them that cultural depth equals marketing performance. Local language, tone, humor, they’re not small details, they’re the soul. So, when Uber spends millions on automated ads, and PickMe or HelaGO wins hearts with simple, grounded storytelling, that’s our case study. That’s the proof that localization isn’t optional anymore. It’s survival.
Dewmini: Beautifully said, Dumiru. I think this is exactly why we started Mozes Studios to bridge that gap between creativity and cultural truth.
Dumiru: Exactly, Dewmini. The world is full of noise, but connection only happens when you speak like someone who truly belongs here. And that’s what we’re building, not just ads, but voices that sound like home.