Starting August 1, MiCab will begin using LED advertising signages on Ken Taxi and Yoo Taxi. The signages flash 20-second advertisements that will loop every 10 minutes.
The cabs are also equipped with 7-inch tablets that will feature advertisements. Some 25 units are already equipped with the signages and tablets as a test run.
Founder Eddie Ybañez said they plan to equip 650 more Ken Taxi units with the app and advertising platforms.
Their target is to be able to advertise not only to the passengers, but also to the commuters on the streets, he said.
“Any company can advertise with us,” he added.
So far, five companies have signed up with MiCab for advertising.
Compared to the tarpaulin-type advertising signage that some taxis have, the LED signages are more visual since companies can opt to put in videos and moving text for their ads, Ybañez said.
Eric Cuenco, one of MiCab’s seed investors, said a total of P3 million was invested on the LED signages while P1 million was invested on the tablets.
MiCab also plans to launch “MiCab money” as an incentive for passengers next month. It will introduce the SMS feature of their app and their website in three months, he said.
Once the SMS feature launches, MiCab will be the only taxi-hailing application with SMS-enabled bookings.
MiCab is looking to launch its services in Iloilo, Davao and Baguio. They are also considering doing a test run of the SMS feature in Iloilo, which already has zone codes.
The MiCab app runs on both android and iOS. The service is limited to Metro Cebu.