2*
Brewing a Better Future Responsible Consumption
Taxi Magic: it's cool to
be responsible
Heineken
Taxi Magic
38
How do you make
responsible choices easy
where people spend more
and on their phones, the
WGMATCHOCES
is perfect for tech-savvy
beer consumers looking for a safe ride home.
Suzanne McGovern, Corporate Responsibility and
Alcohol Policy Manager at Heineken USA, says the
App allows people to quickly book a taxi anywhere,
anytime. "Taxi Magic is seamlessly integrated into
taxi dispatch systems, which let users know the cab
number, driver name and time of arrival."
Consumers can use Taxi Magic from any mobile phone
or computer, or via SMS and the Taxi Magic website.
The App, which is free, even enables mobile payments
and keeps receipts, which makes it very appealing to
get a taxi at the end of a great night out.
Heineken began sponsoring the App in March 2010
as part of its commitment to prevent drunk driving
and to promote responsible alcohol use. To encourage
downloads and usage, Heineken has closely integrated
Taxi Magic into its branding and event promotions.
In December, for example, Heineken put 600,000
Taxi Magic themed coasters into the market place.
An on-site promotion during a Chicago music event,
meanwhile, resulted in 600 new downloads and
1,700 additional taxi rides.
Heineken is also engaging its stakeholders to promote
Taxi Magic. "We are working closely with our 600 plus
distributors to encourage people to use the App.
One distributor has even offered to pay the cab
fare for its employees when they use the App."
An employee referral programme has further
increased the number of users.
Heineken's involvement has significantly boosted the
App's popularity. "Since our involvement downloads
have increased by 170,000 in nine months and
monthly rides have more than doubled to more than
98,000. It's an important extra choice for consumers
wanting to be responsible," says Suzanne.
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