Managing director of Adhesive Media Richard Baker has launched The City Portal, an innovative in-taxi screen advertising platform with a free smartphone app and website.
Developed with fellow directors Sal Sinawi, Jonathan Lawrence and John Roberts, The City Portal uses state-of-the-art multimedia advertising display screens in taxis, enabling businesses to promote their brand and messages to captive audiences as they travel into city centres.
The 8-inch screens use 3G technology are set to timed playlists in order to target specific audiences when they are most likely to be travelling, including early morning shoppers, the coffee and lunchtime trade, and evening visitors heading to bars, restaurants, theatres and cinemas.
The accompanying website offers downloadable discount vouchers, free online codes, a venue finder function, an events calendar and a ticket booking option. The free-to-download app also lists local discounts and includes a taxi icon which can automatically call one of The City Portal’s registered taxi firms.
Launching in Newcastle upon Tyne, the platform is expected to reach some 110,000 people per month combining in-taxi advertising with the website and app mediums. Baker was inspired to bring the advertising medium to the UK following a trip to New York where he noticed a similar thing being done within the city’s iconic yellow taxis.
Of the platform and launch Baker said: “I believe that in-taxi screen advertising provides an ideal medium to promote all that city life has to offer.
“Through integrating the screens with our comprehensive website and app, visitors and locals alike can stay engaged with The City Portal after their taxi journey is over, and discover where the best deals are at any given time.”
Newcastle Gateshead Initiative (NGI) was the first to sign up to the medium, with chief executive Sarah Stewart, commenting: “We are delighted to be working with Adhesive Media on this exciting new project.
“NGI recently took over responsibility for the delivery of visitor information in the destination, and this innovative idea fits perfectly with our strategy of getting information out to where visitors are.”