Why are Ubiquitous Choosing Taxis?
It’s been an absolute pleasure to support London Taxi PR with their ‘Choose Taxi’ campaign in London. I’m a child of the 80’s, so you know I love the attention-grabbing reference to Wham’s iconic ‘Choose Life’ logo on the side!
The campaign has enlisted the support of big names like Tony Parsons, Nick Nowles, and George Clark, but is almost entirely funded by cab drivers and businesses from the taxi industry. Andy Scott, the PR and Communications spokesperson for London Taxi PR, hopes the campaign can promote the trade and put more passengers in taxis.
“They’re part of the fabric of London’s transport community. I wanted to get something out because we’ve been promoting the knowledge for some time. We wanted to drum up more interest in the profession.”
It goes without saying that the Ubiquitous team are firm advocates of taxis. To help add weight to the campaign, I thought it was worth hearing what my colleagues love about taxis. Here’s why the Ubiquitous team will always ‘Choose Taxi!’.
They’re an iconic part of the London landscape.
Taxis are a ubiquitous part of London’s streets. They’re highly regarded the world over, and loved by tourists, Londoners, and everyone in between. Group Head Louise Walsh has lived and worked in London, but mostly calls Manchester home.
“Taxis are part of our cities where we work, live and spend our leisure time. I love that taxis take us to places, connect us with others and are a trusted and safe space. There is always one nearby.”
Laura Mayordomo, our International Client Director, works and lives overseas. Much like Louise, she completely gets the appeal of the London cab.
“They are iconic, classy, and reliable. I couldn’t imagine the city without them, they are everywhere and part of the urban landscape. As a foreigner, they are one of the iconic symbols that first come to mind, when I think about London.”
Both Louise and Laura’s perspective here shows you don’t have to be in London to appreciate a black cab. Their illustrious history and charm make them enticing to many around the world.
The London taxi is constantly evolving.
The London taxi is a storied institution. It’s been picking up passengers since Oliver Cromwell’s time! Sales and Marketing Assistant Anita Oziegbe has an interesting insight about a 400-year-old London cab and its place in social media-obsessed world:
“What I love about taxis is their flexibility, in how they adapt to environmental, economic, and societal changes. As the social media space continues to grow, it’s iconic to see the black taxi still holding its place, evolving with the times and growing in creativity.”
Anita highlights the longevity of the taxi here. It’s a testament to the black cab that it’s adapted to the demands of the social media age without losing an integral part of what makes it special.
At its core, it’s still a great transport option!
Don’t let the sheen of a great advertisement let you forget about how useful they are. They’re a hardworking public transport option with a workforce that requires years of training before getting behind the wheel. Sales Consultant Micky Harris points out why they’re so trusted in London.
“The taxi driver has to have achieve a high level of geographic understanding, the Knowledge, purely because passenger demand requires them to know every square mile of London. Therefore, by default they cover more ground than any other out of home medium.”
Micky makes an excellent point here. The professional knowledge of the black cab driver benefits passengers and benefits the media agencies or brands that choose to advertise with taxis. It’s a win-win for everyone.
Taxis are a powerful OOH format
Taxis are a traditional format in an increasingly digitised world. Sales Director Steve Clark summed it up neatly with his description of taxis.
“They are a premium format, utilised by some of the most prestigious brands around the world, and offer unparallelled reach in locations that are otherwise unattainable. In a market that is becoming understandably more digital, we remain wholly relevant and powerful as an offering.”
The impressive coverage and reach of taxis is encouraging for luxury brands. It shows that tradition doesn’t have to be put at the expense of results.
Every Poster Has a Frame. Ours Has Wheels.
It’s been hard to keep my opinion to myself this far into the piece. But I’m glad to finally let it out. What do I think make taxis so powerful as a media platform? It’s simple: they’re different. Most advertising sites in Out of Home are bound by a wooden or metal frame. Ours are wrapped around a moving icon, the London taxi.
People expect to see ads in frames. They don’t expect to see them on a cab, and that element of surprise is precisely what makes it so effective. Taxis break through the visual noise by being where no other media can go.
They're not just eye-catching. They’re mobile, omnipresent, and always on the move. They cut through postcodes, reach streets that other media can't touch, and deliver brand messages directly into the heart of the city.
In a world where attention is everything, taxi advertising doesn’t just follow the crowd. It takes your message directly to the people that matter.
I’d like to say thank you to all the contributors to this article. The way it connects people across workplaces, across communities, and across the globe, just proves why it is so legendary.