Winnipeg Cab History / 63: The Winnipeg Taxi War (3)
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Telephone book ads from the 1920s. The Veterans ad, top, appeals to customer patriotism with proprietor R.H. Ellison citing his service with the second battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles. Bruce Russell's frank appeal to charity was unique (he dropped it in later ads). The third ad makes closed and heated sedans a selling point aimed at taxi customers tired of chilly rides in open touring cars.

The bottom two ads appealed to customer snobbery by offering "no conspicuous colors” and "private cars”. These unmarked cars allowed customers the fantasy of riding in their own chauffeured limos. George Moore aimed at the same mentality when he offered "plain cars” to his U-drive customers. Unmarked cars also saved taxi owners the expense of painting them in fleet colours.

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