How Special and Cher Turned Back Thyme for Uber Eats
Uber Eats ‘turned back thyme’ with a spot featuring Cher travelling back in time after ordering a time machine, only to find herself in the 17th century.
Special creatives Hannah McCowatt and Laura Grimshaw spoke to LBB to discuss the creative process behind the Uber Eats campaign featuring Cher, focusing on the blend of historical and comedic elements, as well as Cher's involvement and willingness to embrace self-deprecating humour.
They also highlight how her iconic status and global appeal made her a perfect fit for the campaign's tone and style.
LBB> What was the inspiration behind the idea of sending Cher back to the 17th century rather than another time period?
Hannah and Laura> Sending Cher back to the 17th century just makes sense. For starters, there’s her iconic role in The Witches of Eastwick that cemented her as an on-screen witch, so the idea of her navigating a time of witch trials felt like a perfect fit.
Not to mention, witches have long been symbols of female power and rebellion, and there are few people who embody that spirit more than Cher. She’s been a feminist icon for decades, breaking rules, pushing boundaries, and refusing to be anything but completely herself. Dropping her into one of history’s most notorious moments of misogyny — when independent, outspoken women were literally being hunted — creates a fascinating contrast.
LBB> How did Cher react when she first heard the concept of the campaign? Was she immediately on board?
Hannah and Laura> We were very lucky that Cher loved the concept from the beginning. She actually called our outreach deck “genius,” which was a career-defining compliment.
What really stood out to us, though, was how self-deprecating she was willing to be. She took all the jokes in stride and didn’t hesitate at the idea of being called “old and young at the same time”. Cher’s an icon for a reason, and she completely embraced it.
LBB> What were some of the biggest challenges in recreating historical settings while keeping the campaign’s comedic tone?
Hannah and Laura> The biggest challenge was ensuring that a storyline culminating in a woman being burnt at the stake remained humorous. So, we took some creative liberties when recreating the historical setting - we’ll be the first to admit we prioritised the comedy over strict historical accuracy.
In terms of crafting the pilgrim village, we’ve really got to take our hats off to our production team at Special and our partners at Exit and Smuggler, who helped us create the 17th century world. It’s rare to see a production of this scale and quality in Australian advertising.
What we landed on felt authentic to a Salem-esque witch trial, but the cast of characters still left room for the humour we wanted to inject. It’s a tricky juxtaposition, but Cher’s deadpan delivery and comedic timing helped lighten the mood and make it all come together. The unique mix of dark and light made the whole thing work.
LBB> Were there any alternate versions or ideas for the ad that didn’t make the final cut?
Hannah and Laura> In the early stages of script development, we considered sending Cher to multiple different time periods, which would have allowed us to revisit different eras of her career.
However, as the ideas developed, they started to feel overcomplicated, and we realised we were losing the humour and simplicity that came with sticking to a single time period. Plus, there’s only so much you can show in a 60-second spot. We found that linking the 1980s – an era that could be considered Cher’s prime – with the 1680s gave us the perfect opportunity for comedy.
LBB> How did you approach balancing nostalgia with humour, especially when referencing one of Cher’s most iconic songs?
Hannah and Laura> There’s something inherently comedic about taking song lyrics literally, and we definitely leaned into that absurdity. And linking Cher’s nostalgia for the ‘80s – when she released ‘Turn Back Time’ – with the 1680s gave us the perfect platform to explore this.
Acclaimed director Mark Molloy was the perfect partner to help strike this playful balance of reverence and ridiculousness, helping craft little moments throughout the spot that nod to Cher’s legendary career while adding humour. Like having her land on a cannon in the 1680s, referencing her iconic navy ship moment from the 1989 ‘If I Could Turn Back Time’ music video.
LBB> The campaign leans heavily into self-deprecating humour — was that a deliberate choice to differentiate Uber Eats from competitors?
Hannah and Laura> Leaning into self-deprecating humour is definitely a deliberate choice and something that has become integral to Uber Eats’ ‘Get Almost Almost Anything’ campaigns. The whole team at Uber always looks for that specific tone – something that adds an edge and gives the script that ‘X factor’ that fits Uber Eats' signature style. On this project, Uber’s marketing team were heavily involved from inception to delivery, but the team were great partners day in and day out to ensure the humour and self-deprecation was preserved throughout.
In combination with that, there’s an art to finding celebrities who have the confidence to fully commit and aren’t afraid to make themselves the butt of the joke. It’s that level of self-awareness that really makes the campaign stand out and feel authentic to the Uber Eats brand. We want the audience to watch Uber Eats ads and think, “How the hell did they get them to do or say that?”
All in all, it takes a brave client who wants to elevate the work and who understands the power of brand building to continue to champion this kind of creative.
LBB> Given Cher’s legendary status, were there any unexpected or memorable moments from working with her on set?
Hannah and Laura> Working with Cher was unforgettable in the best way, and we’re pleased to report that she is as fabulous in person as she is on the screen.
Her willingness to reference her iconic 80s style through her hair and wardrobe was amazing, and she looked fabulous - which wasn’t unexpected, but an amazing part of the finished product.
She also allowed us to use an archival wardrobe and props in the opening shot - so most items you see in that scene are part of her own incredible collection.
LBB> The ‘Get Almost, Almost Anything’ platform has featured a diverse mix of celebrities — what makes a great fit for this series?
Hannah and Laura> One of the best elements of the ‘Get Almost Almost Anything’ platform is that there are so many different celebrities and storylines that can play out under it. That being said, the celebrities we feature definitely need to be able to embrace the Uber Eats comedic style and not be afraid of a little self-deprecating humour.
They also need to be someone who resonates across generations of Australians. Cher was a dream choice — not only does she have a massive global fan base, but her iconic status made the campaign’s reach extend far beyond Australia. We’ve seen love pouring in from everywhere, from Russia to Brazil, where she has some incredibly devoted fans.
