Several years ago my family and I drove through Canada on business. I was immediately struck by the absence of billboards along the roads. At first it was pleasantly pristine. But after a while, I found I missed the information they gave as I traveled.
We all know what billboards are, huge signs supported by a structure mounted on some rented piece of property like a farmer’s field. The more traffic on the highway, the better. The billboard will hopefully grab the attention of passers by. But imagine this: the billboard flies off the stand and floats over a huge crowd of people who all look up and read it. That is not fanciful; it is the essence of advertising using an aerial billboard.
Though the size and message of an aerial billboard may be the same as that of roadside billboards, there are differences. The stationary roadside billboard hopes to be read by moving people; the moving aerial billboard will be read by stationary people. Also the roadside billboard will probably be read by a fraction of the travelers going by. The aerial billboard, on the other hand, will be read by virtually everyone in its viewing path. The roadside billboard may be viewed by thousands over a traveling season; an aerial billboard will be viewed by thousands in a matter of minutes.
The aerial billboard is not a banner though a streaming banner is sometimes dragged behind the billboard to give an additional message. Most aerial billboards are made of nylon. Some are dyed with a sun inhibitor for protection while others are painted. Aerial billboards could be as large as 50 feet tall and 100 feet long! The message they display may be the name of a product, a photo, a logo, or just about any message you see on a roadside billboard.
This huge billboard is supported in the front by a lead pole and weighted on the bottom so it stays upright. A bridle is attached to the lead pole and that attached to a 250 feet rope. The pilot gets airborne, then circles around and tries to hook a loop of rope attached to two poles. This loop is fastened to the tow rope. The hook is attached to the bottom of the plane. As the pilot passes over the banner and catches it, he immediately banks upward, causing the billboard to be pulled upward, away from the ground.
Though lightweight, the billboard is still a hefty drag for a small plane. At times winds will ground it, or keep them from being able to add the additional banner message at the end. When he is finished, the pilot gently drops the billboard at the designated place where it can be stored and used again.
The size and shape of the message trailing behind the plane is the only real difference between an aerial banner and an aerial billboard. Clients might include restaurants, products, special events, ordinary people with congratulatory messages, wedding proposals, directions, information like a web page where they can get further details, special sales, local businesses, movie promotions, and many others. Billboard messages include just about anything people want to get to the word out about.
What is the cost for a billboard ad like this? That varies with locations and flying companies. On the average plan on 0 to 0 an hour for towing time and about 00 and up for the billboard or banner. Often companies offer aerial advertising packages for the banner and display together. Perhaps this seems like a lot of money. It isn’t if you consider the revenue that the message will bring in because thousands of people saw your message in one day.
What is an aerial ad? It is simply a long banner containing a message that is then flown over a crowd to convey that message randomly to them. Aerial banner advertising is a very popular way to tell of new stores or restaurants, to remind people of established businesses, or to promote political candidates. Banner ads have been proven effective as a relatively low cost high impact means of advertising. The message is virtually uncontested as it grabs the attention of a large audience and repeats the message many times as the plane flies over the crowd. The cost per contact is unparalleled in the retail world of advertising.
These factors are all equal: the ad has a captured audience, no competition, the plane drawing attention to the message, and repetition. All the messages are also brief. The fly-by time is only 17 seconds. What factors make a good banner ad?
Several factors make up a good banner ad. The advertiser has a goal in mind and the brief message must reach that goal. The message must be catchy, readable, attractive, and it must be easy to remember. Your job then is to plan a message that at once conveys what you want to say in few words and is easy to remember.
Here is a poem that has helped many people plan: There are six honest serving men Who taught me all I knew. Their names are what and when and why And how and where and who. Note that some of the six question words above will not need to be answered on the banner. Sometimes too much information is needed to include on a banner so the banner merely tells of a phone number or web address where more information is available.
Short messages are harder to write than long ones. A well worded slogan or ad is worth all the effort you put into creating it.
If you’re unsure how to promote your product, consider aerial advertising. Usually a long banner trails behind a small plane flying over a crowd of people. The sound of the plane signals the people to look up and read the message as it goes by. Even the excitement of a home run at a ball park cannot compete with the attention grabbing of this banner.
Aerial advertising has been used to promote a business, a particular product, or even to propose marriage. It is a quick way to reach a large select audience with a message that is almost guaranteed to be read. The key is a well designed message that is easy to remember.
First, it is good to talk to a design team about your message. Share with them what you are trying to convey. What is the goal desired? How can this goal be achieved in a few words? As you meet with the designers, be prepared to change your ideas as you talk it through. They are the experts and often have suggestions based on their experience that will make it the most effective possible.
The second step is to express the goal you have established in a message. The message may be long (some airplane banners are over 100 feet) or it may simply convey information about the location of further information, such as a website. Even a logo, if well known, can convey the message desired.
The next step is to determine when and where the message of the banner will best be displayed. A message to tune into a certain radio station would be effective when flown over rush hour traffic. Messages in this manner have been displayed at fair grounds, beaches, concerts, anywhere a large group is assembled out of doors.
Determine of you want to design the banner yourself or have an expert do it for you. Of course, you can save some cost by doing it yourself but don’t let this be the only factor. The message must be attractive and easy to remember to be effective.
A company may be gun shy about paying out the money for an ad that is only visible for 17 seconds. First, consider that this is much longer than people normally look at printed ads and much less expensive than TV ads. Second, remember that the plane flies over an area numerous times so the message will become almost boring by the time the plane disappears for good. Third, remember that your ad has no competition! It’s the only one in the sky at that moment so it gets 100% of the attention of the consumers.
You have a product, a design, and a time, and place. It is time to commit yourself to give it a try and see what happens. If the banner has been done well, it will normally pay for itself in increased revenue.
Aerial advertising prices are competitive so shop around. The Internet is a great source of contacts. Consider the amount of guaranteed time the banner is flown as well as the cost of designing the banner. Remember that banners are reusable at different times or different locations. Aerial advertising may be just the thing your business needs to get it off the ground.
