U.K.-based marketing firm Hall & Partners has created a taxi cab designed specifically to gather market research. The cab is designed to offer essential services to the businesses or brands it represents, such as rides to and from a store, in exchange for opinions on the store and its products and advertising.
The Hall & Partners branded taxis are an attempt to gain honest feedback from consumers while advertising at the same time. The cabs were designed as an alternative to the traditional and often awkward on-street interviews and lab focus groups used to collect information from consumers. In addition to shuttling people to and from stores and points of interest, some rides come with product tastes and samplings. Here's hoping Hall & Partners brings their marketing cab to America. I'd gladly trade consumer insight for a free ride around the city.
Market Research Taxis
Hall & Partners Develops a New Way to Gather Honest Consumer Info
Trend Themes
1. Branded Research Vehicles - Companies could develop their own vehicles to gather information from consumers while advertising at the same time.
2. Mobile Market Research - More businesses could adopt the use of mobile units designed to gather consumer data outside of traditional research methods.
3. Incentivized Consumer Feedback - More businesses may begin to offer product incentives in exchange for honest feedback from consumers.
Industry Implications
1. Market Research - Companies within the market research space may see increased demand for mobile data gathering solutions.
2. Advertising - Advertising agencies could use the strategy of gathering consumer feedback while also promoting their client's brand through a mobile unit, such as a taxi.
3. Transportation - The transportation industry may see an opportunity to collaborate with market research firms to provide dedicated vehicles for consumer data gathering, while improving their own services through input from riders.