What’s under the Christmas tree this year?
The festive period is often described as the happiest time of the year. And yes, this extends beyond Christmas Carollers and rotund, bearded men in red suits.
The campaign opportunities around Christmas aren’t lost on savvy brands and advertisers. We were reminded of this while reading Talon’s most recent benchmarks report. OOH is a big player at Christmas because it naturally drives emotional engagement between brands and audiences, turning jolly moments into long-lasting impressions.
Can a Ubiquitous solution stand out amongst the holiday bustle? The UK’s leading Taxi Advertiser has a few ideas.
OOH formats capture emotion and turn it into action
Emotions like nostalgia are a powerful driver of action. Talon’s benchmarks report found that audiences are craving the comforting traditions that make Christmas special. The IPA’s report, ‘The 2025 Christmas Consumer’ agrees, finding that 78% of Brits agree that traditions are an important part of their celebrations, while 37% want Christmas adverts to bring back the familiar music, classic Christmas carols, and timeless images that we associate with Christmas.
Besides being a traditional format that has existed on our streets for well over 400 years, the classic black cab offers more than just a nostalgia trip. They’re an emotional intensifier. The Ubiquitous team knows from internal research that audiences are already more likely to attach their own emotions and thoughts to a London taxi. Fascinating post-campaign research from Attest for a luxury brand found that audiences who viewed a branded taxi were more likely to view the brand positively, proving that taxi adverts connect beyond a brand. They connect on a personal, emotional level. Even the quirky shape of a London Taxi is easy commit to memory because it captures the attention of our overstimulated brain.
Engage with a discerning audience – on their terms
Award-winning creative can still suffer at the hands of an uninterested audience. Luckily, Talon’s benchmarks suggest that Christmas is a time of year when Britons are switched on and ready to celebrate. It found that 3 in 5 Britons engage positively with Christmas OOH. It’s a great sign for brands who want to reach a receptive audience.
Taxi Advertising is an OOH format that easily connects with a similarly festive, and affluent, audience. YouGov data tells us that when compared to the national average, they’re already more likely to attend a religious service in person (index 123), go out and buy Christmas gifts for themselves and others (index 154), and even go to a work Christmas party (114). It’s not hard to imagine that during all these jolly outings, they might come across a piece of OOH advertising like a billboard, a poster, or, dare we say, even a black cab! Especially because GPS data tells us that taxis make thousands of trips through retail areas every day. The social nature of the UK Taxi Audience combines well with the ubiquitous nature of Taxi Advertising.
Creative that captures the spirit of the season
We know that emotional advertising boosts recall and drives action. The Talon research made it clear that audiences want thoughtful, meaningful advertising that speaks to the spirit of the season. Talon’s benchmarks report supports this. Brands will see a 140% increase in response and 23% more engagement when they mix emotion with product messaging.
Taxi Advertising has a consistent yet refreshing presence on our streets. Because it is a tangible format that builds engagement with ease, audiences don’t feel like they’re being ‘marketed’ to. It’s for this reason that creative can shine when applied to the side of a London Taxi. Its unconventional shape and unique lines grab attention and make audiences pay attention. Additionally, it’s a format that is regularly voted as the most trustworthy by audiences.
A format that does it all
Christmas truly is a special occasion. For brands willing to reach audiences on their terms, OOH formats like Taxis have the skillset to sparkle this festive season. While it is true that campaigns aligned with significant cultural events can amplify reach and relevance, audiences have made it clear that they don’t want their campaign ‘hijacked’ by a tone-deaf pop culture moment. They want a Christmas steeped in tradition and nostalgia. Luckily, we know a format that intuitively engages with audiences while delivering creative work that packs a punch.
Sources: IPA Databank, ‘The 2025 Christmas Consumer’, Internal Ubiquitous Research, Attest Research for Reiss, 2025, Confidence level of 95%, Clear Channel and System1 Research, Talon Benchmarks October 2025, YouGov Profiles GB, UK Taxi Audience vs. National Representative, GPS data 2023, System1 Research, Emotional Advertising, Digital Effectiveness, System1 Research, The element of surprise, IPA touchpoints Hub Survey, Posterscope OCS Survey, Index 15, Creating Viral Impact: Lessons from Coors Light’s bold OOH Strategy