Influencing Public Perception Amidst Micro-Mobility Disruption

Placed exclusive article in #1 local media trade

Built a narrative around Lime as a safety-first operator

Proactively secured 31 media placements

Too Many Scooters on the Streets

E-scooters exploded onto U.S. streets in 2019. While many consumers swiftly gained an affinity for micro-mobility, the quick proliferation of e-scooters unintentionally caused major disruption across U.S. cities. Nashville specifically became an epicenter of the e-scooter debate as the city was overrun with scooters from more than a half dozen operators. In response to outcries for regulation and concerns for safety, the Mayor proposed a ban on all e-scooter operations.

E-scooter client Lime engaged ARPR, already leading media efforts for other top southeastern markets, to devise a local media relations strategy to combat a growing negative sentiment around micro-mobility. With local print and broadcast covering the proposed ban daily, ARPR needed to quickly implement a PR strategy to achieve: 1) a shift in perception focusing on the positive impact of accessible and affordable micro-mobility options 2) position Lime’s commitment to rider safety as a competitive differentiator 3) ultimately help prevent the loss of operating rights.

Rapid Response, Collaboration and Education

Nashville’s potential e-scooter ban earned national attention as cities nationwide grappled with e-scooter regulation, and so it was clear that Lime’s public response would have major implications for operations across the country.

In collaboration with Lime’s global communications and public affairs team, ARPR developed a media relations strategy focused on highlighting the company’s safety initiatives to differentiate Lime from the local competition and to position them favorably with community stakeholders:

First, the team quickly drafted and disseminated an approved media statement in response to the Mayor’s proposed ban, which included details about Lime’s Nashville-specific safety initiatives and its global “Respect the Ride” campaign.
Second, ARPR leveraged its relationship with Nashville’s #1 news source, The Tennessean, to arrange an exclusive feature on Lime’s new educational safe riding classes, parking corrals and features to prevent riding while inebriated.
Third, ARPR pitched local media outlets and broadcast stations to secure on-the-ground interviews with the local operations manager to further amplify Lime’s safety initiatives and ensure they were included in daily local reporting on the ban.

Shifting the Narrative

ARPR’s media relations strategy regularly inserted Lime into conversations around the ban, positioning them as an operator advocating for safety measures and new operating procedures. The Tennessean jumped at the exclusive opportunity and conducted an interview with the local operations manager and Lime’s southeastern government affairs representative. Additionally, ARPR earned 27 media placements ranging from on-air interviews with on NewsChannel5, the city’s top-ranked broadcast station, to writeups in the Nashville Business Journal. Ultimately, the Metro Council decided to limit the number of operators allowed in the market from seven to three. Lime maintained operating rights, largely due to direct lobbying of the Metro Council and strategic media relations efforts led by ARPR, which successfully informed the public about Lime’s differentiated safety approach. ARPR’s safety-focused media strategy offered a roadmap for Lime’s responses in other U.S. markets, helping propel perception of Lime as the safety e-scooter operator preferred by local regulators and communities alike.