13cabs sets new course with new national rebrand and campaign via THINKERBELL
13cabs, the consumer facing brand of Cabcharge has undergone a national rebrand that signifies significant changes for the business.
Says Stuart Overell, chief operating officer, 13cabs: “We’ve been helping people in Australia get where they need to go for over 40 years. When people think of booking a car – any car – we want them to think of 13cabs.
“If you’ve been riding with 13cabs lately, you will have already begun to notice the improvements to our service and we want to ensure our passengers continue to see 13cabs is dedicated to providing service excellence through all touchpoints.”
The rebrand impacts all customer touchpoints including the app, the cars, the driver uniforms and communications. The re-brand coincides with an overhaul of the 13cabs customer experience. This includes:
a) A completely redesigned 13cabs
app. With almost 2 million people already using the app, the 13cabs in-house technical team have made significant improvements to the user interface, backend capabilities and functionality to ensure a best-in-class experience for both Passengers and
Drivers.
b) Improved Driver Training for all current and new 13cabs Drivers to shape a Passenger-first mindset ensuring all Passengers experience their cab, their way.
c) Improved customer care programs and contact centre operations.
d) The entire national fleet of cars have been redesigned and are rolling out progressively, so Passengers can more-easily identify a 13cabs car from other taxi companies.
Says Liz Attia, head of marketing, 13cabs: “When I started at 13cabs over 12 months ago it became immediately evident 13cabs plays a much bigger role in the Australian community than given credit for. And the way we achieve this is through our people. People are the heartland of our brand. No matter who you are, you can book your way, pay your way, and more importantly, there’s always someone to contact at every touch point if needed. This is why our communications features real stories, told by real people. These people include Karen our contact centre supervisor who has been with the company for over 20 years, Saeed, a career driver at 13cabs for 27 years, and Nick who manages the lost property and driver training for passengers with special needs.”
Says Jim Ingram, founding tinker, Thinkerbell: “Going through the driver training process, getting our Taxi licences and listening in on the 13cabs contact centre has given us a real insight into the role 13cabs plays in helping millions of Australians get where they need to go. Through telling these stories, 13cabs is building pride back into their diverse driver network by highlighting the important role drivers from all backgrounds play in connecting Australians around the country.”
The rebrand comes to life across multiple customer touchpoints, mostly online, radio and outdoor.
Client – 13cabs
Andrew Skelton – Managing Director & CEO Cabcharge
Stuart Overell – Chief Operating Officer
Liz Attia – Head of Marketing
Kim Henkul -Marketing Services Manager
Sam Tan – Digital Marketing Manager
David Brand – Senior Copywriter & Communications Manager
Cassie Downie – Communications Officer
Andrew Morgan – Graphic Designer
Creative and Strategy – Thinkerbell
Margie Reid – Managing Partner
Adam Ferrier – Chief Strategy Thinker
Alex Grivas – Lead Thinker
Kelly Ng – Account Thinker
Paul Theobald – Rebrand Design
Daniel D’Angelo – Design Tinker
Lisa Chen – Design Tinker
André Pinheiro – Creative Tinker
Jim Ingram – Chief Creative Tinker
Ben Couzens – Chief Creative Tinker
Jess Van Roosendaal – Production Tinker
Film Production – Revolver/Will O’Rourke
Director: The Glue Society
DOP: Jordan Maddocks
Editor: The Glue Society
Animation / VFX / Grade: Blackbird
Photography – Israel Rivera
Music – Brand Music
Media Agencies – Media Republic & GMG Digital
30 Comments
Should have used Andrew Tinning.
If the stories are actually ads then I like them. If they are content people won’t watch them.
get some better work
An interesting lie is better than a dull truth. When are we going to tell clients that no one gives a fuck about real people’s staff customers stories and want something entertaining.
Is anyone else finding this true story / documentary style / let’s do a short film formula getting a bit tired?
Nice rebrand guys. Sweet stop-animation too.
Those credits got me shook
Like it a lot. This is lovely and warm and different to Uber.
The whole business and industry can probably be saved by simply rating your cab drivers and experience.
13CABS doth not equal Stories. Ain’t nobody got time for no stories when your taxi driver is speaking to his cousin in Islamabad.
i think they’re about 5 years too late with the rebranding… a new coat of paint is not going to save the poor reputation 13cabs has built up over the years
I think this is good and probably the right thing to do for the client. Seperate yourself from the other shitty cabs in the market and make yourself appear fresh to take on Uber. And, no, I don’t work at this agency.
You’re Uber and your tech and you’re raping the world. Ensuring all money goes to a few.
Remind people of the people who provide the service. This is clever work and will help shift perceptions.
…the producer I see working in the call centre. Real people. Real stories.
I expected something cleverer, slicker, more insightful and more original from these heavyweights.
These guys have been going a year.. (i just checked)…and i had expected something better in a category which is actually rich with competitive tension. Adam Ferrier is leading the strategy and has a big reputation and a strong voice …I am sure his partners can learn from. This lacks edge.
At least they are doing something eh! Go out there and sell yourselves
I’d prob be more inclined to opt for 13cabs over silvertop or whatever because at least they are coming out with some response.
Not a huge fan of the new look, seems a little amateur but the stories were cool, espo the little animated people
How come the producer is working in the call centre? So much for using your own people?
That’s the spirit!
Sometimes comms isnt the answer.
‘We’ll get you there’ ?
Surely that’s the least you should expect from a cab.
Of course they’ll get you there. They have GPS!
You couldn’t set the bar any lower if you tried.
What a strategically flaccid offering from one of the most prominent planners in Australia.
Really, is this the best 13cabs could get from the power trio?
Mate, its a metaphor.
Whats wrong with you?
You seem like you’re hurting. What’s up lil’ guy?
BTW like this work a lot. Respectful of ‘we’ll get you there’ (their history) yet warms the brand up and brings to life the people who support the customers – something Uber cannot do. Nice work.
The product is terrible and no lick of paint or fake testimonials will save it.
Been waiting for these guys to do something proper. I’m not sure this is it but it’s actually pretty good for their challenge. I can’t imagine another cab company, anywhere else in the world, standing up to Uber and trying to be their own brand like this. So for that I give them massive props. It’s good.
Tough gig. These are nice. Starting with the car makes sense. Change has to start somewhere.
Highlighting the fact the drivers are so useless/tired/overworked/can’t be fucked that they don’t notice a dog sitting in the back seat of the cab until a phone call, doesn’t really say great things.
dont be an idiot
Unfortunately Aussies don’t make for good or interesting ‘real people’ in ads.
Their performances are self-conscious and incredibly mundane.
These ads underscore that.
So you’re pretty much doomed with an idea like this.
When you suspend that over a weak framework as articulated by the slogan, which in its literal sense is the very minimum you’d expect from someone you pay to get you from A to B, there’s a sense of disappointment that a cab company couldn’t come up with something far more potent to combat the threat from ‘ride sharing’.
A reason to choose a taxi over an Uber.
And if you can’t find one, at least make advertising that’s so compelling everyone wants a part of the product.
Perhaps the awful truth is that they actually haven’t got anything persuasive to say.
And the agency just couldn’t find a campaign to simply charm us into a taxi.
Coz for all the rationalising in the world, this ain’t it.
One test of a campaign is how would you describe it to someone who hasn’t seen it.
Describe this ‘idea’ in one sentence.
You can’t.
It’s weak.
And that’s something you can’t hide under a new coat of paint.
I hope they didn’t design the logo, looks like the work of someone from 99 designs.
All things aside…..this rebrand is the best I’ve seen in a while!! Well done!!! Those that are against things company should reconsider!! 🤡