Delhi autos to become ad-display vehicles
12 Mar 2009
Soon autos in the capital will carry ads on them. Nyayabhoomi, an NGO working with auto-rickshaw drivers for the betterment of the public transport system in the national capital region (NCR), has come up with an initiative called the 'Autorickshaw Star Club' (ASC), through which the NGO will offer auto-rickshaw branding opportunities to advertisers.
The ASC project was undertaken after the recent ruling by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), which allowed branding on 75 per cent of an auto-rickshaw.
ASC has tied up with approximately 1,000 auto-rickshaws for this initiative; and 500 more will be added each month after April. Around 8,000 drivers are registered Nyayabhoomi.
ASC is not only a commercial venture, but also a has a srong CSR (corporate social responsibility) element, with the primary objective of offering auto drivers a better income and lifestyle opportunities, and also provide better services to commuters, especially with the Commonwealth Games due next year.
The NGO, along with its partner, brand communication agency Shades of Yellow (SOY) Communications, has been working on this project for the past three months.
To begin with, the soft top of rickshaws will be replaced with hard tops, the backs of which will be fitted with a 3 ft x 2 ft LED screen. The sides will be fitted with 2ft x 1 ft LED screens, and all three spaces will be made available to advertisers. The initial investment for this will be made by Nyayabhoomi, which is also looking for sponsorors to bear the costs. The cost of modification per vehicle would be around Rs8,000-10,000.
Branding will be offered on 75 per cent of the exterior and 100 per cent of the interior spaces of the auto-rickshaw.
Inside the rickshaw, brands can place pamphlets, brochures, and so on in specially created pockets, enabling these rickshaws to serve as brand activation points, where semi-educated drivers could help in the process.
For example, for a telecom company giving away free SIM cards, the drivers could help the passengers to fill the forms.
