Taxi Advertising: Small Format, Big Frequency

It might feel old-school, but in dense urban environments, taxi advertising is still a smart and effective outdoor advertising choice. Billboards are stuck in one spot… but taxis? Taxis move through the heart of the city all day long. They go everywhere, operate at all hours, and take your ads right where your audience lives, works, and plays.

It’s a small format with massive frequency. A single taxi can generate thousands of impressions per day — as it navigates busy streets, sits in traffic, and picks up passengers throughout the city, you get eyes on your ads.

Ad Types: Roof Toppers, Door Decals, and Interior Panels

Taxi advertising comes in three main formats, each with different visibility and cost levels. Roof toppers are the most recognizable — those illuminated signs on taxi roofs that display your message to pedestrians and other drivers. Modern roof toppers often use LED displays that can show multiple advertisers in rotation, making them more affordable than you might think.

Door decals go on the sides of taxis and are visible to people on sidewalks and in other vehicles. These work especially well for local businesses because they're seen at street level where people are walking and shopping. Door decals are typically the most cost-effective taxi advertising option.

For reaching a captive audience, interior panels are great — they target people sat inside the taxi. The average taxi ride in busy cities lasts 15 to 20 minutes — passengers have plenty of time to read and remember your message. Interior ads work great for detailed offers, QR codes, or messages that require more than a quick glance.

Some cities also offer digital screens inside taxis that can display video content or interactive ads, though these come at a premium price.

Perfect for Urban Brands and High-Energy Audiences

For certain types of businesses and campaigns, taxi ads are exceptional. Urban brands like restaurants, bars, hotels, and entertainment venues see great results because taxis travel directly through their target areas… and they’ve often got people looking for exactly those things sat in them. Nightlife businesses especially benefit since taxis are busiest during evening hours when people are going out.