Description
Every day across America, millions of dollars are abandoned—not lost or stolen, but simply left behind by rideshare users. With a study from the NBER finding that only 16.1 percent of consumers check both apps for cheaper fare, Lyft is giving the issue the gravity it fully deserves: a fully produced public service announcement with an urgent request to rideshare users everywhere to dedicate a few seconds to saving money.
Developed with Zulu Alpha Kilo (Z.A.K.), the new campaign film follows an abandoned dollar bill as it wanders through harsh urban environments—battling rain, wind, and the constant threat of being trampled—as a voiceover pleads for riders to save the money by donating a few seconds to checking Lyft the next time they book.
“Treating abandoned rideshare savings with the gravity and importance of a public service announcement had an immediate tension to it,” says Chris Colliton, ECD at Z.A.K.. “The more seriously we took it, the funnier and more relatable it became. For something so “sad,” we couldn’t stop smiling.”
At a time when craft is more valuable than ever in a crowded creative landscape, Lyft and Z.A.K. took a thoughtful, hands-on approach. Directed by Jeff Low with practical production effects performed by master puppeteer Oliver John Taylor (Netflix’s Eric, Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens) and rig maker Andy Gent (Fantastic Mr. Fox, Coraline), the film focuses tightly on the bill’s cinematic world. Working closely together over the course of several weeks to choreograph each movement by hand, Low, Taylor, and Gent turned an inanimate object into a character that feels unexpectedly sympathetic and human.
"This is Lyft deciding what kind of brand it wants to be,” says Cass Zawadowski, Executive Creative Director, Global Brand at Lyft. “'Save the Money' works because it's human and genuinely crafted, and those aren't soft words. They're the reason people will remember it, share it, and actually change their behavior. That's what a brand moment looks like."
“Save the Money” is part of a multi-pronged campaign launching today across major U.S. markets, with a fully integrated rollout spanning :60, :30, and :15 second film spots alongside large scale OOH and creator-led content.
This professional campaign titled 'Save the Money' was published in United States in June, 2026. It was created for the brand: Lyft, by ad agency: Zulu Alpha Kilo. This Film and Integrated media campaign is related to the Transport industry and contains 1 media asset. It was submitted 3 days ago.
Credits
Client: Lyft
Agency: Zulu Alpha Kilo
Chief Creative Officer: Jenny Glover, Tim Gordon
Chief Design Officer: Stephanie Yung
Chief Strategy Officer: Heather Segal
Executive Creative Director: Chris Colliton
Group Creative Director / Copywriter: George Ault
Group Creative Director / Art Director: Jacob Gawrysiak
Creative Director / Art Director: Hope Jordan
Copywriter: Cassi Kaplan
Art Director: Olivia Hashka
Design Director: Dejan Djuric
Business Group Director: Tara Collins
Account Director: Matthew Vares, Shauna McKenna
Executive Producer: Kelly Mikhael
Head of Creative Production - Ola Stodulska
Senior Producer: Kasia Zeniuk, Tracy Wightman
Executive Producer: Laura Dubcovsky
Studio Manager: Henry Eugenio
Senior Production Designer: Pam Cohen
Junior Studio Artist: Sean Lacdan
Director of Post Production & Operations: Sarah Dayus
Producer: Amy Groll
AI Creator: Hiep Vu
Lead Interactive Artist: Andrew Martin
Online Editor: Felipe Chaparro
Lyft Marketing:
VP, Head of Marketing: Dan Friedman
Senior Director, Marketing - Brand, Strategy & Ops: Brooke Papiri
Group Brand Marketing Manager: Kayla Osmond
Brand Marketing Managers: Sheriza Abdul, Amy Allen-Smith
Marketing Program Manager: Kristen Leung
Senior Manager, Media: Ange Mendoza
Media Strategist: Adelaide Andrews
Business Affairs Lead: Genevieve McCarty
Lyft Creative Studio & Communications:
Executive Creative Director: Cass Zawadowski
Associate Creative Director: Tyler Schell
Group Producer: Ellen Black
Director, Social: Jen Winston
Manager, Social Content Lead: Jake Thacker
Social Media Manager, Brand: Joan Vieira
Social Creator, Brand: Ramsey Shindell
Director, Brand and Product Communications: Melissa Marasco
Communications Manager: Lily Zahn
Production Company: OPC Productions
Executive Producers: Isil Gilderdale, Donovan M. Boden, Harland Weiss, Emily Harris
Director: Jeff Low
Producer: Merrie Wasson
DoP: Joao Padua
Production Designer: Paul Austerberry
Wardrobe Stylist: Lea-Anne Baxter
Editorial Company: MakeMake Editorial NY
Editor: Carlos Arias
Managing Director: Eve Kornblum
Executive Producer: Justin Kumpata
Executive Producer: Cynthia Laplaige
Senior Producer: Shayna Rubin
Assistant: Brian Gladstone
After Effects: Alex Scott
Audio: Wave
Sound Designer/Mixer: Aaron Reynolds
Mixer: Isaac Matus
Executive Producer: Vicky Ferraro
Associate Producer: Chloe Goldstein
Finishing: MakeMake VFX NY
Lead Flame Artist: Edward Reina
Junior Flame Artist: Austin Hazzis
HOP/VFX: Barbara Kontarovich
Color: MakeMake Color
Colorist: Jonny Thorpe
Senior Producer: Alex Zhao
