SANTACO is the governing body of the SA taxi industry, and the only body recognised by Government. Now, in this first-of-its-kind partnership between the taxi body and a media owner, ComutaNet has been given preferential access to all SANTACO-managed taxi ranks nationwide - some 95% of all South Africa's ranks.
The ComutaNet platform, part of the Primedia Outdoor stable of out-of-home products, has been a significant player in the commuter sector for over 26 years. This latest deal offers marketers unprecedented access to the nation's massive commuter market.
"ComutaNet's preferential access rights mean it just got even easier to communicate with this important market," says Steve Ratlou, executive chairman of Primedia Out of Home. "Marketers need no longer contract with several suppliers to reach taxi commuters on a national level."
With ComutaNet being a leader in South Africa's rank-based media, marketers can run more coordinated campaigns with better accountability, knowing that their campaigns are being flighted as and where promised.
Ratlou says the deal also offers significant benefits for the taxi industry. "We've had a longstanding relationship with the taxi industry, but it was previously an informal one," he says. "It was also an unequal partnership, with the taxi industry being essentially a commercial spectator when it came to the media opportunities generated by this market.
"We wanted to have a better-structured relationship, one in which the taxi industry was an equal partner, with both parties having clearly defined obligations and incentives," Ratlou continues. "We have achieved that with this landmark agreement."
Philip Taaibosch, secretary-general of SANTACO says the partnership with ComutaNet marks yet another milestone in SANTACO's vision to empower the industry in general and individual operators in particular, as contained in its TR3 2020 Vision. "The time has come for the taxi industry to start participating in and benefitting directly from all businesses within its value chain," he says.
SANTACO and Primedia Outdoor will now work together to co-create new opportunities within this media environment, sharing the profits generated by the platform.
