Talk Isn't Cheap for London Cabbies

LONDON, Feb. 9, 2008— -- There are two kinds of taxicab passengers: those who enjoy making friends with their drivers, and those who prefer to stay silent and anonymous. But in London, where the cabbies are known for their chatty tendencies, small talk could translate into big rewards.

While many cabs are already decked out with colorful billboards and bold slogans, advertisers have decided that marketing can go from beyond the billboard and into the backseat pretty easily.

"[Cabbies] have got the gift of gab, they know how to talk," says Asher Moses, managing director of Taxi Promotion. "I would say some of them could be absolutely great salesmen."

Now, select London drivers are enjoying trips to places like Las Vegas or Thailand and instructed to share their (positive) experiences with passengers.

Steve Howe, who has been to Vegas free of charge three times now, loves to gush to his customers about the magnificent hotels and great shows. Does he think anyone's actually gone to Vegas because of a conversation in his cab? "I wouldn't know, I wouldn't know," he says. "I think it puts it in their mind."

Passengers spend an average of 16 minutes in one of London's black town cars, and Moses thinks that is probably enough time to make a sale if a customer is looking.

With the sinking U.S. dollar and strong British pound, convincing Brits to take their vacations on the other side of the pond is not a difficult task. About four million British travelers go to the U.S. every year and they are always looking for new, exotic destinations to try.

The novel advertising program has met with some apprehension among government regulators who worry that passengers' peace and privacy might be violated during the ride. But Howe says he can usually tell when someone doesn't want to talk, and that's fine. Otherwise, why not make a pitch?

By the end of the year, Moses says he expects about 300 cabs to be involved in the new marketing plan all across Britain. That's 300 new walking, talking billboards ready to send you to Vegas in 16 minutes or less.

Hanna Siegel and Nick Watt contributed to this piece.