Playing to a Trapped Audience

As many talkative cab drivers know, customers have little choice but to hear them out. Now Madison Avenue is aiming its pitch at the same backseat captives. When they step into New York City taxis these days, passengers may find themselves facing electronic signboards that tout everything from beer to Broadway shows. The computerized messages march in inch-high letters across the boards, which are set atop a glass partition between driver and rider. Each 10-sec. plug is part of a cycle that includes public service notices and trivia questions for variety, and repeats itself every four minutes.

Called Taxigrams, the traveling commercials are the creation of Donald Chipman, a former owner of two taxi fleets.

Chipman has installed his electronic devices in 700 New York City cabs since September and plans to raise the number to 4,000 next year. He charges individual advertisers up to $10.29 a month for each cab that carries one of the 2-ft.-long $300 signs, and gives part of the fee to fleet owners. Chipman is also eyeing Canada and the rest of the U.S.

By late next year, he hopes, Taxigrams will be offering cab riders in cities as diverse as Chicago, Montreal and Los Angeles a different view from the backseat.