TAXI CAB ADVERTISING AND WHY IT IS NOT POPULAR IN GHANA

                                                           TAXI CAB ADVERTISING  

The main purpose of a taxi is to transport people from one location to another upon agreement of a certain fee. Apart from this, there are other benefits to the taxi as well. With commerce and business transactions increasing over time, there has been the need to reach out to people and potential customers with products and services by way of advertisement.

A Taxi cab with adverts.

This demand gave birth to the use of taxi cabs as an advertising tool. That is the TAXI CAB ADVERTISING. This is the display of adverts on the top and side of a taxi cab and advertising spots that run on a television monitor. Taxi cab advertising started in the United States of America in the year 1976. It is seen as a mobile billboard and can be targeted at a specific market. 

The advertisements come in two formats. The stickers on the side of the car and the board on top, which is the more popular of the two.The board on the top also varies with one being a light box with the adverts inscription on it and others being a digital moving one.

 Most often there are marketing agents or companies who act as a bridge between a taxi cab unions and the companies who intend to advertise. Marketing companies select taxis which operate in their target market area. They operate day and night

This makes me wonder why this is not popular in the major cities of Ghana. Why are the businesses in the country not exploiting this avenue of mobile billboards to market their product and services?

In my quest to find out more, I caught up with Mrs Alice Okyerewa Darko, an international volunteer consultant, marketing expert and entrepreneur, CEO of Cirilo Consult to seek her views on the subject matter.

Mrs Darko acknowledged taxi cab advertising as a good marketing tool even though she has not used that channel for her work.

                                             Mrs Alice Okyerewa Darko , CEO of CIRILO CONSULT

Asking whether she has made such a recommendation, “I have recommended and encouraged my clients to use taxicab advertising because I find it very effective. Taxis have very wide service coverage and advertisements on them are easily noticeable and attractive to the consuming public “she said

On as to why businesses are not exploiting this avenue in Ghana, she stated that businesses may have issues with the standard of vehicles with regard to appearance and conditions. Also the cost of advertising may discourage businesses from patronizing taxicab advertisement.

Earlier, I had spoken with a section of taxi drivers at Chapel Hill taxi rank in the central business district of Takoradi. I asked them about their experience about the subject matter since they play a major role in this system.

 According to them, they have had an experience through the marketing companies or agents. The marketing companies themselves fix the advertising boards onto the car. For a car to be selected, it needs to meet a certain criteria with respect to appearance and car condition.

The contract signed between the agents and the drivers spanned 6 months. For each vehicle the marketing companies agreed to pay between GH¢ 50.00 - 100.00 on monthly basis. So, they deal with the marketing companies directly not the mother companies.

 For some the contract expired and was not renewed again but with others the marketing companies refused to pay the agreed fee after some months. So they had to remove the advertising boards from the top of their cars. This clearly shows that companies considered taxi cab advertising as an option. The challenge is with the middle man that is, the marketing agent.

 Taxi top advertising is a great tool for the marketing of products and services. This is why it is referred to as mobile billboard. If companies are able to remove barriers with the middlemen that are the marketing companies they would have a great platform to showcase their product and services. Companies with internal marketing teams can meet the driver unions and negotiate with them directly so as to mount the boards on top of the cars for advertisement.

A taxi serves more purposes then just transporting people and we need to maximize these opportunities to increase productivity in the industry.

Edmond Nana Cabir Flynt is a vehicle sales advisor based in Takoradi - Ghana. He is also a volunteer, an entrepreneur, and auto show radio presenter.

For further enquiry, consultation, advertisement, product promotion (vehicle related), vehicle and accessory sale, contact him on the following numbers +233(0)209461930 /+233(0)548383591 and email nanaflynt@gmail.com