Taxis: the most social of outdoor media
Speaking to Asher Moses of Taxi Media and Andrew Barnett of Ubiquitous, it is obvious the passion both companies have for the media and what it can achieve for advertisers.
They both tell me everyone knows taxi advertising offers high coverage and frequency at low cost, and there is not a better value outdoor media opportunity.
How else is Taxi advertising unique and how is technology complementing its proposition?
Taxis often access areas where there are high-value audiences and little other media, for example London’s West End, City and Canary Wharf. With full-livery creative they add a particularly eye-catching colour to the streets. There is a natural synergy between iconic brands and the World famous London Black Cab. Taxis have a ubiquity that means wherever people are on the street, it is unlikely they won’t see one, and the advertising on it.
Where some media are disadvantaged by the growth of online and social media, technology brings new opportunities to taxi advertisers. In a competitive market sales people like to keep new developments under-their-hats. However, I would expect, further integration of GPS within campaigns, extensions to electronic-wallet and credit card easy-pay services, near-field-communication aiding more interactive opportunities and of course more digital displays.
Word-of-mouth and influence isn’t the sole domain of social media and the modern cabbie is less a stereotypical tabloid reading loudmouth and more a networked smartphone and Facebook influencer. They are the eyes and ears of London and are able to position the vehicle where it’s wanted and co-operate with PR led campaigns, while talking about it, online and off.
Current favourite campaigns include Asher’s choice of Moshi Monsters, for the playful use of children’s cartoon characters, and Andrew’s selection of Vodafone, for its sheer scale married with its synergy with other media, including the online Vodafone Taxi Grand Prix.
We didn’t even talk about the run-up to the 2012 Olympics, but I would guess any number of brands will want a cabbie saying they had them on their cab one day.
