Modrý anděl (Blue Angel) started out (I’m guessing) 15 years ago, as a ‘we’ll drive you and your car home’ service. That was pretty popular, especially in a country where the alcohol limit for driving is zero.
They then expanded into a regular taxi service. I’m not sure when the Apple/Android booking app with GPS locator appeared, but it was certainly before I’d seen anything similar, including the Uber app. At the time it was revolutionary, especially for expats who often didn’t know where they were or couldn’t pronounce the name of the street.
Throughout that time, I’ve used Modrý anděl successfully with mostly comfortable cars, good drivers and at a fair price. I especially like that you can block a driver if you didn’t like them or their car. They even have a loyalty scheme that offers a further discount on your fare once you are Silver or Gold status – I’m not sure that this is very popular with the drivers and I have a sneaking suspicion that some deliberately don’t accept the job when they see a Gold status discounted ride.
This article isn’t really to promote Modrý anděl, but instead to examine their advertising poster, seen in many a Prague restaurant bathroom – I think the poster is pretty funny, although I’m not sure that was the intention. Here it is:
The poster features four passenger stereotypes; the Japanese engineer who likes that he can be found via GPS, the Czech tractor driver who drinks too much and needs someone to drive him and his car/tractor home, the young Czech Marketing Director who wants a bit of luxury and the stewardess who needs a taxi from the airport.
Let’s take a look at the names given to each ‘typical’ user of the service. The tractor driver, Josef Skočdopole – his name translates as ‘Josef jumps in the field’.
The Stewardess, Michaela Nebeská is ‘Michaela Sky’.
The Marketing Director, Viktor Úspěšný is ‘Viktor Successful’.
The Japanese engineer, Tady Nakaši is something like ‘here the thing is smashed so much it’s like mashed potato’. Not sure I get this one unless it is a comment on Japanese engineering skills.
When you visit Prague, look out for this advertising poster. If you download the Modrý anděl app on your phone you need to set up your profile and enter your name. Why not choose a pseudonym when you set up your profile? This will be especially funny at the airport, where they have to hold up a sign with your name on.
Here are some example English names and job titles you can use:
Tina Salmon – Supermarket Worker
Gail Forcewind – Meteorologist
Cherie Bakewell – Pastry Chef
Warren Peace – Author
Mike Oxlong – Adult Entertainment Star
Ray Norshine – Postman
Czech names are much harder to make combinations that mean something else. For example the first name Tomas sounds like ‘to mas’ meaning to ‘you have it’. So you could be Tomas Horky – you have it hot, or Tomas Tvrdy – you have it hard. There are some funny surnames such as Kostohryz with means bone and bite – but no first name like Doggy! My best attempt so far is to use the Czech first name Lucie and combine with the cabin crew surname Nebeská – a tribute to Lucie in the Sky with Diamonds.
And yes, before you ask, it was a slow news day!
