Case study on taxi branding indicates branding reaches wide audience

The commuter market is South Africa’s largest consumer segment, comprising over 22 million people, so the research tracked 32 vehicles in Gauteng, 20 vehicles in KwaZulu-Natal and 15 vehicles in the Eastern Cape.

The main objectives of the case study were (i) to determine campaign coverage and (ii) to quantify opportunities to see (OTS). With advanced geo-spatial analysis, Primedia Outdoor calculated OTS based on the movement of taxis within set out target coverage areas.

Over the three months measured, the 67 taxis travelled 571,716 km - a distance equivalent to travelling the circumference of the earth 14.27 times. Of the total number of kilometres travelled, the campaign target areas that were covered during the campaign came to 206,225 km.

Looking at the target area coverage, the study showed that the campaign generated OTS of more than six million in a single month, with an aggregated OTS of 18 million over the total campaign period. This highlights the extraordinary ability of the branded taxi campaigns to offer high reach and frequency objectives.

Gauteng

In Gauteng, 32 vehicles achieved coverage of 14 campaign target areas, including Soweto, Mamelodi, Alexandra, Germiston and Roodepoort. Travelling 78,446 km, the total OTS in one month amounted to 4,279,307 within the campaign target areas. The taxis tracked in Gauteng travelled through major convergence nodes and densely populated areas.

Example of campaign target area coverage: Soweto

KwaZulu-Natal

In KwaZulu-Natal, the study tracked 20 vehicles reaching eight campaign target areas, including Pietermaritzburg, Durban, Newcastle and Blaauwbosch, among others. The total OTS achieved in one month was 1,426,813, with the taxis again travelling through major convergence nodes and densely populated areas.

Example of campaign target area coverage: Durban

Eastern Cape

Finally, in the Eastern Cape, the study tracked 15 vehicles, reaching seven campaign target areas. Yet again, the vehicles travelled through major convergence nodes and densely populated areas, providing an OTS of 568,244 within a month.

Example of campaign target area coverage: Port Elizabeth

Taxi branding campaigns are an appealing product offering, as they become ‘moving billboards’ for brands. Ruchelle Barker, marketing intelligence manager for Primedia Outdoor, says, “The case study confirms branded taxis’ ability to reach an extensive audience. Through the tracking of taxis, we have been able to demonstrate the ability of taxi branding to offer extensive coverage of strategically selected target areas.”