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Yandex Go Copywriting Strategy
for Turkish Market:

Yandex GO launched in Türkiye in December 2024, starting in Antalya—a strategic entry point due to its strong customer base from mainland Russia. With its recent expansion to İzmir, it is evident that the service is gearing up for broader adoption across Istanbul and the rest of Türkiye. This case study explores how Yandex GO can achieve mass adaptation in the Turkish market through a tailored approach in both traditional and digital media. By analysing consumer behaviours, local mobility challenges, and effective messaging strategies, this study presents a comprehensive roadmap for Yandex GO’s successful integration into Türkiye’s urban transportation landscape.

Istanbul’s Taxi Crisis:

For years, Istanbul’s taxi system has been a source of frustration for millions. Whether it's fare refusals, unpredictable pricing, or heated disputes, these challenges are part of everyday life in Türkiye—widely recognised across households and even globally. As Yandex GO prepares for expansion into Istanbul, the opportunity arises to introduce a more reliable, transparent, and hassle-free mobility solution. Unlike traditional yellow taxis and competing ride-hailing apps, Yandex GO prioritises ease, efficiency, and passenger comfort.

🚖 Key Issues with Istanbul’s Taxi System:
 

  • Drivers refusing short-distance rides

  • Unpredictable fares & cash payment struggles

  • Long wait times during peak hours

  • Frequent arguments between passengers and taxi drivers

  • Lower service quality compared to global ride-hailing standards

📢 Why Focusing on This Crisis Drives Consumer Adoption:
 

  • Every household in Türkiye understands this struggle firsthand.

  • Making Yandex GO’s promise instantly relatable.

  • This issue is deeply embedded in the daily reality of urban mobility.

  • Creating a strong emotional connection to Yandex GO’s benefits.

  • Compared to traditional taxis and competing apps, Yandex GO delivers hassle-free rides, reliable pricing, and a smooth user experience.

The Solution: Yandex GO Delivers 
What Istanbul Needs:

Establishing Yandex GO as the Fix:

The hassle of getting a taxi in Istanbul is something everyone has experienced. Yandex GO isn’t just another ride-hailing app—it’s a reliable alternative built to solve these everyday challenges. With clear pricing, guaranteed rides, and an effortless booking process, it redefines what urban mobility should be in Türkiye.

✅ No Fare Negotiations – Transparent Pricing
✅ No Ride Refusals – Every Trip Confirmed
✅ Fast Availability – More Drivers, No Long Waits
✅ Cashless Payment – Easy & Secure in the App

Going Nationwide: The Playbook

For Yandex GO to establish itself as Türkiye’s leading ride-hailing service, its messaging must reflect the realities of urban mobility. Taxi refusals, price haggling, and service inconsistencies are well-documented issues in cities across the country, especially in İstanbul, creating a clear need for a more reliable alternative.

Yandex GO’s expansion follows a structured growth strategy—starting in Antalya and İzmir, soon entering Istanbul, and gradually reaching the rest of Türkiye. This step-by-step approach allows for market adaptation, ensuring consumer trust and operational stability.

Through a combination of digital and traditional media efforts, Yandex GO’s communication strategy must directly address widely recognized societal challenges. By highlighting practical solutions rather than abstract promises, the brand can establish credibility and drive adoption. The key to success is making the service feel not just like an option—but a necessity.

Bringing Yandex Go to Life:
Digital Ad Strategy

Hyperrealistic Social Media Ad Execution:
Taxi Chaos vs. Yandex GO

This campaign leverages a hyperrealistic street interaction, immediately hooking the audience with a relatable taxi refusal scenario before seamlessly introducing Yandex GO as the effortless solution.

Step-by-step scene breakdown:

Scene 1: Taxi driver refuses ride (high frustration & urgency).
Scene 2: Bystander steps in, suggests Yandex GO (smooth transition).
Scene 3: Yandex GO app says Taxi arrives in few minutes (problem solved, instant relief).

Messaging Strategy: 

Authenticity: Feels unscripted, mirroring real-life taxi struggles.
POV Effect: Makes viewers feel immersed in the chaos.
Brand Integration: Natural, not forced, ensuring high engagement.

Closing CTA Phrase:

"Bekleme yok. Pazarlık yok. Yandex GO." 

Going Nationwide: Digital Ad Strategy

Sahne 1: Tanıdık Sorun – Taksi Reddetmesi (The Familiar Problem – Taxi Refusal)

Taksi kenara çekmiş, müşteri hızlıca yanaşıyor. 

👨🏻‍🦰 Müşteri: "Abi, Şişli’ye gideceğim, hemen!" (Brother, I need to get to Şişli, quick!)
👴🏻 Taksici başını sallıyor, umursamaz bir sesle: "Yok, kısa mesafe almıyorum." (Nah, I don’t take short trips.)
👨🏻‍🦰 Müşteri sinirleniyor: "Abi bir dakikalık mesafe, binsem ne olacak?" (It’s just a minute away, what does it matter?)
👴🏻 Taksici elini sallıyor: "İşime gelmez, başkasını bul." (Not worth it, find another one.)

Müşteri sinirle geri çekiliyor, ellerini açıyor.

Sahne 2: Beklenmedik Çözüm – Yandex GO (Unexpected Solution – Yandex GO Enters) 

Yan tarafta biri olayı izliyor, yaklaşıyor ve sakin bir tavırla dalga geçer gibi konuşuyor. 

👨🏽 Observer(POV CAM): "Buna hiç gerek yok ya, telefonun yok mu senin?" (There’s no need for this, don’t you have a phone?) Telefonunu çıkarıyor, ekrana bakıyor. 
👨🏽 Observer(POV CAM): "Bak, Yandex GO’yu indiriyorsun—taksi anında geliyor, pazarlık falan yok." (Look, you download Yandex GO—your ride comes instantly, no haggling.)

Müşteri şüpheli ama meraklı, telefonunu çıkarıyor, uygulamayı açıyor. 
Ekranda “Taksi Bulundu” mesajı beliriyor.

Sahne 3: Anında Rahatlık – Yandex GO Geliyor (Instant Relief- Yandex Go Arrives)

Müşteri telefonuna bakarken ekranında Yandex GO bildirimini görüyor: “Taksin yolda! 2 dakika içinde kapında olacak.” (Your taxi is on the way! Arriving in 2 minutes.)

Birkaç saniye geçiyor—Yandex GO aracı gerçekten geliyor! 
👨🏽 Observer(POV CAM): "Gördün mü? Beklemeye falan gerek yok. Hadi selametle" (See? No waiting necessary. Alright, safe travels!)
👨🏻‍🦰 Müşteri şaşkın ama rahatlamış şekilde araca biniyor:"Abi bu baya iyiymiş ya!" (Man, this is really good!)

Yandex GO sorunsuz şekilde hareket ediyor,  CTA giriyor  "Beklemek yok. Pazarlık yok. Yandex GO." (No waiting. No haggling. Just GO.)

Bringing Yandex Go to Life:
Traditional Ad Strategy

HDramatic Traditional Media Ad Execution:
Taxi Chaos vs. Yandex GO

This campaign leverages a real-world taxi frustration scenario, immediately grabbing viewers' attention with a heated argument over ride refusals before seamlessly showcasing Yandex GO as the effortless solution. The contrast between stress vs. ease ensures a memorable, high-impact experience for traditional media audiences.

Scene 1: Taxi driver rejects ride request from a frustrated couple outside a restaurant (high tension & urgency). Driver refuses short distance trip, dismissing the passenger rudely. The couple argues, clearly annoyed by yet another rejection.

Scene 2: A second couple stands just 5–10 meters away, calmly using Yandex GO. They request a ride effortlessly—no negotiation, no frustration. Notification pops up: “Taksin yolda! 2 dakika içinde kapında olacak.”

Scene 3: Yandex GO ride arrives while the first couple is still frustrated. They stare in disbelief as the second couple enters their ride effortlessly. First couple watches Yandex GO drive off smoothly, realizing what they missed.

Final CTA Overlay Text: 
"Bekleme yok. Pazarlık yok. Yandex GO." (No waiting. No haggling. Just GO.)

Going Nationwide: Traditional Ad Strategy

Sahne 1: Taksi Çilesi – İlk Çiftin Hayal Kırıklığı

İstanbul akşamı – Restoran çıkışı, insanlar sohbet ediyor, caddede trafik yoğun. İlk çift kapının önünde, adam taksi çağırıyor, partneri telefonuyla uğraşıyor. 

👨🏻‍🦰 Adam: "Abi, Beşiktaş’a gideceğiz, hemen!" (Brother, we need to go to Beşiktaş, quick!)
👴🏻 Taksici başını sallıyor, umursamaz bir sesle: "Yok, kısa mesafe almıyorum." (Nah, I don’t take short trips.)
👨👨‍🦰 Adam sinirleniyor, ses tonu yükseliyor: "Abi, her zaman aynı muhabbet! Taksi değil mi bu?!" (This is ridiculous! Every time the same problem! This is a taxi, isn’t it?!) 
👴 Taksici direksiyona yaslanıyor, umursamaz şekilde elini sallıyor: "Babamın oğlu olsan beni bu saatte oraya sokamazsın!" (Even if you were my own brother, I wouldn’t drive there at this hour!)

Sahne 2: Karşıt Sahne – İkinci Çiftin Yandex GO Kullanımı

5–10 metre ötede ikinci çift, rahatça telefonlarını kullanıyor.Yandex GO uygulamasını açıyorlar, sessizce bir araç talep ediyorlar. Ekranda bildirim beliriyor: “Taksin yolda! 2 dakika içinde kapında olacak.”(Your taxi is on the way! Arriving in 2 minutes.)

👨‍🦰 İlk çiftin adamı göz ucuyla bakıyor, fark ediyor ki diğer çift hiç uğraşmamış. 👩‍🦰 Kadın hafifçe gülümseyerek fısıldıyor: "Onlar hiç uğraşmadı bile…" (Look, they didn’t struggle at all…)

Sahne 3: Çözüm – Anında Rahatlık

Yandex GO aracı gelir – temiz, modern, konforlu. İkinci çift sessizce araca biner, hiçbir sorun yaşamadan. İlk çift donup kalıyor, bakışıyorlar, farkına varıyorlar ki boşa zaman kaybetmişler. Yandex GO aracı sorunsuzca uzaklaşırken kamera ekrana geçiyor.

Final CTA Overlay Text: 
"Bekleme yok. Pazarlık yok. Yandex GO." (No waiting. No haggling. Just GO.)
 

Case Study Wrap-Up:

I started this journey with a simple yet frustrating reality, taxis refusing short trips, price negotiations becoming a norm, and the overall unpredictability of finding a ride in Türkiye. These everyday struggles led me to explore how Yandex GO can step in as not just an option, but the go-to solution for seamless mobility.

​

What We've Covered in This Case Study

  • I identified the core problem: The difficulties users face with traditional taxis—refusals, bargaining, and inconsistent service.

  • I positioned Yandex GO as the answer: A reliable, hassle-free, and frictionless mobility alternative that eliminates these everyday frustrations.

  • I developed a clear, strategic Playbook: A phased expansion approach to ensure widespread adoption across Türkiye.​

  • We designed high-impact media executions:

    • A hyperrealistic POV-style social media ad, built to resonate with users emotionally and drive organic engagement.

    • A cinematic contrast-based TV campaign, reinforcing how Yandex GO turns frustration into effortless solutions.

What to Expect Moving Forward

  • Stronger brand awareness: The messaging and execution will create instant recognition and trust among users.

  • Deep social media engagement: The authenticity of the campaign makes it highly shareable and relatable.

  • A shift in consumer behavior: The campaign’s emotional pull encourages long-term adoption of Yandex GO.

  • Impactful market expansion: Yandex GO will establish itself as the preferred mobility choice across Türkiye.

  • Scalability and localization: The campaign framework allows adaptation for future markets and evolving user needs.

Personal Thought – The Future of Yandex GO in Türkiye

This case study isn’t just an advertising strategy—it’s a transformation in urban mobility. By focusing on real consumer frustrations and delivering a seamless solution, Yandex GO positions itself not as an alternative, but as the inevitable future of transportation in Türkiye. When convenience meets necessity, adoption becomes inevitable.

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© 2022 by Necip Ertuğrul Bilgi | All Rights Reserved
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