London cabs promote Ecuador

April 16, 2010

Marketing and branding alternatives these days are as varied an original as the products they promote….  Considering that the “publicity on wheels” has a high level of impact in the public and provides ample exposure, the Ministry of Tourism of Ecuador has made an agreement with a publicity firm and 27 of the world famous “London taxi cabs”, so these popular vehicles which abound all through the city, can display the brand “Ecuador” and carry graphic publicity depicting the Four Natural Worlds of Ecuador in a colorful and attractive way, complemented with eye catching messages that invite Londoners to visit Ecuador.

The main purpose of this strategy is to use a visual tool which creates mental awareness, in this case, showing Ecuador as a desirable Tourism and Travel Destination amongst the English market and particularly on their bustling capital city, London….

Marketing studies have shown that the publicity carried by public transportation vehicles which roam the main streets as well as the less central neighborhoods is very effective and has an outstanding reach in key markets and business areas, precisely where the target public is….

The 27 London cabs which are participating on this campaign carry attractive pictures showing the natural and cultural attractions of Ecuador, with an underlying theme on them and that is that Ecuador is not only a beautiful and varied travel destination, but that it is highly committed with the environment and practices sustainable tourism on all of its services and tour operations.  These messages are very popular with the viewers and taxi users.

To make the campaign compatible with its messages, the 27 London cabs which are part of this first part, possess hybrid motors, which are environmentally friendly, reducing the emission of carbon through a special system devised by TaxiMedia and The Carbon Neutral Co. Their mission is not only to promote Ecuador but also to link the Destination with Environmental care and this concept is well seen by the local community and the users of these taxis.

The studies which led to the use of this particular strategy do recognize the high visibility which moving publicity producers on hundreds of thousands of viewers and users, all year long, day and night.  The result is that the strategy does motivate and influence the potential traveler with a Destination to think of when deciding their next vacation. The study also provided a profile of taxi users, which proved to be perfect match with the main target segments of Ecuador as a Travel Destination, in the U.K. market.

In this way, Ecuador has taken an innovative step to enhance its tourism promotion, starting with the emblematic London cabs, several of which have now become “Ambassadors on wheels” of Ecuador… The country’s Marketing Plan 2010-2014 is the backbone of short and mid term Marketing and Tourism Promotion Strategies to position Ecuador as a world class Tourism Destination, based on its immense natural and cultural diversity; accessibility, hospitality and sustainability practices….