The driving force behind the campaign was simple: Lyft is for every kind of dad—and it can handle every kind of pickup. For Father’s Day, we built a social-first comedy around Kyle MacLachlan embodying four instantly recognizable “iconic fathers” (Father Time, a Founding Father, Father Christmas, and the Godfather) who all pile into a single Lyft on their way to a picnic. Each new character appears as a fresh pickup, turning the product feature into the storytelling engine: the ride literally demonstrates Lyft’s ability to accommodate multiple stops and pickups, while the escalating lineup of dads reinforces the message that Lyft has love for all fathers: traditional, unconventional, serious, silly, and everything in between.
To bring Kyle MacLachlan’s Father’s Day campaign with Lyft to life, we started by anchoring the creative in a simple product truth, Lyft can handle multiple pickups seamlessly. Then, we wrapped it in a distinctly Kyle, character-driven premise that celebrates every kind of dad. Our plan of action was to build the spot around a single contained “Lyft ride” then use wardrobe, performance, and tight comedic writing to make each father archetype instantly identifiable: Father Time, a Founding Father, Father Christmas, and the Godfather.
The biggest challenges were balancing four characters in a tight runtime and ensuring the brand message didn’t get lost in the bit; we solved this by treating the Lyft as the narrative spine and keeping the tone affectionate rather than parody. The result is a highly efficient, high-concept spot that’s unique to Kyle’s range: one actor, multiple iconic dads, and one ride. This worked to demonstrate Lyft’s flexibility while celebrating Father’s Day with inclusive, joyful humor.
Our results directly met the campaign’s objectives: drive broad awareness for Lyft around Father's Day, showcase the ease of multiple pickups, and create a culturally sticky piece of entertainment that felt native to social. The video delivered strong reach and engagement across platforms, earning 800,000+ views on TikTok and 900,000+ views on Instagram, proving the concept was instantly understandable, highly shareable, and resonant with audiences in the exact environments we designed it for. Additionally, the spot was nominated for a Plot Golden Thumb Award.
Just as importantly, the campaign generated meaningful earned media that extended impact beyond paid and owned channels. PEOPLE Magazine published an exclusive write-up, “Kyle MacLachlan Has Given Us So Many Iconic Dads — but His Biggest Role Is ‘Proud’ Parent to Son Callum” featuring a quote tied to the spot’s emotional core: “There’s a specific kind of joy that happens when your son is home with you,” MacLachlan tells PEOPLE ahead of his Lyft Father’s Day campaign. That coverage validated our creative approach balancing comedic character work with genuine warmth and helped position Lyft within a timely cultural conversation about modern fatherhood.
