We love TED, a non-profit organization devoted to ideas worth spreading. The latest from them is a unique way to spread ideas - through the medium of the chatty taxi driver.

When TED came to Buenos Aires to host a conference they looked to the city’s most remarkable speakers to spread the word, and so invited 50 taxi drivers to the event. They listened to the likes of Ines Sanguinetti, the co-founder of Latin American Art for Social Transformation and Miguel Brecher Frey, who revolutionized eduation in Uruguay by introducing and providing children to laptops talk about ideas. Following their experience at TEDxBuenosAires, impressed by inspiring ideas for 6 hours, the local taxi drivers left on a mission; to spread the TED.

So, 50 taxi drivers armed with TED knowledge, chatting to 20 passengers per day for one week, reaches 7000 people – 7x the audience of TEDxBuenosAires and the ultimate form of word of mouth marketing, engaging and personable.  Connecting with someone over a conversation has a lasting effect and you can guarantee that those 7000 people who heard second-hand about TEDxBuenosAires went and further spread the word.

Next up, look out for the gospel of TED coming from your local hairdresser.