Around the year 2000 I remember seeing a commercial on public
television for a somewhat of a ?futuristic company.? In some way or
another they were leading business into the future. The commercial
featured a futuristic yellow flying taxi cab. It was flying,
maneuvering and landed in the front of a building. I need at least the
commercial company?s name and some commercial number reference. If
possible I also need any pictures, videos, or links of the commercial.

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Clarification of Question by taylorluker-ga on 06 Jan 2006 22:49 PST

I welcome anyone researcher especially: 
bobbie7-ga
palitoy-ga 

I have researched your guys work and find it exceptional!

I also welcome any references to particularly good researchers...

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Clarification of Question by taylorluker-ga on 06 Jan 2006 22:52 PST

I remember seeing this commercial and thought it was really cool and I
can't get it out of my head....I just want to know some place online,
some link either to the advertisment design company, actual company
the advertisement the commercial was for and ideally the name of
commercial.  The best possible research would feature a link to a
place where I can view the advertisement online or even download it.


Thank you so much.

Hi,

Since you "welcome any researcher," I hope you won't mind me answering.

I believe that you're referring to New York Life's "Cityscape: Present
& Future" (2000) commercial.

It's described in the March 31, 2000 issue of "Shoot" magazine:

'As the setting morphs into contemporary times, a voiceover asks,
"Does a century of change change everything?" A young girl steps out
of a yellow cab and walks through the building's rotating doors. The
voiceover continues, "At New York Life, we think not. The values with
which we started ... remain the unshakable foundation of the company
today." From the building emerges a businesswoman who signals a cab
that resembles something out of Luc Besson's The Fifth Element; after
the woman steps in, the "sky taxi" lifts off from the ground and flies
past a futuristic city skyline.'
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0DUO/is_13_41/ai_61693319#continue

The commercial doesn't seem to be on Newyorklife.com. 

Fortunately, though, a copy has been preserved on the website of The
Internet Way Back Machine's Archive.org (in QuickTime format):
http://web.archive.org/web/20000818211147/www.newyorklife.com/nyl/images/lores/present+to+future01.mov
From this page:
http://web.archive.org/web/20001122002900/www.newyorklife.com/NYL/0,1065,10444,00.html

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search strategy:
google groups:"flying taxi" commercial
site:newyorklife.com commercials
archive.org

I hope this is the ad that you remember. If not, please request clarification.

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Request for Answer Clarification by taylorluker-ga on 07 Jan 2006 23:09 PST

juggler-ga,

Thank you very much for your help!!! This is almost exactly what I remember.

The only variation is that I remember a taxi that looks a little
different and remember much more emphasis and time spent on the taxi
cab landing.  Perhaps I am thinking of this exact commercial but over
time I am just remembering it different.

Nevertheless I am 100% satsified with your anwser and work....I
especially thank you for providing a link to the actual commercial.

Just wondering though, how did you make the connection between the New
York Life commercial and the actual commercial name?  How did you find
the "Shoot" magazine article?

I am definitely adding you to my "preferred research list" and in the
future (if it is OK with you) under the question I will list juggler.

One challenge though, for an $5 tip if you are successful (in finding
the 2nd commercial), you could try to find another commercial that
fits the same description as the one you found (time, events etc.) but
with the two variations that I remember differently.  Perhaps  another
similar commercial doesn't exist and I am just not thinking straight.

Thanks

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Clarification of Answer by juggler-ga on 08 Jan 2006 15:02 PST

Hi,
Although it basically includes the same footage of the flying taxi,
there's a slightly longer version of the New York Life at:
http://web.archive.org/web/20001122002900/http://www.newyorklife.com/nyl/images/lores/cityscapeani01.mov

After a considerable amount of additional searching, I must conclude
that the New York Life ad was the only ad circa 2000 that included a
flying taxicab.  As you say, perhaps your memories of the exact
details of the ad have changed with time.
 
As for the search strategy, I started with Google Groups:
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&q=%22flying%20taxi%22%20commercial&btnG=Google+Search&sa=N&tab=wg

Then I searched newyorklife.com for information about 'commercials.'
Using some of the terms that I found there (e.g., 'cityscape, 'gerard
de thame'), I found the Shoot article via Google.

I then browsed old newyorklife.com pages using the Internet Archive
Wayback Machine:
http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.newyorklife.com

I hope this helps.

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Request for Answer Clarification by taylorluker-ga on 08 Jan 2006 20:10 PST

Thanks for great work and the additional searching that you did.

You are definitely right this is the only commercial and must of been
the one that I viewed and remember.

Thanks again!

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Clarification of Answer by juggler-ga on 08 Jan 2006 20:17 PST

You're welcome.  Thank you.  One note:  I'm a "he" rather than a "she."

Perfect answer....exactly what I was looking for.  Gave a complete
answer and was cooperative with clarifications and even did additional
research after she gave the answer.

I received the answer within 1 hour and 18 min.  Now that is what I am
talking about!!!!