While traveling to Canada some years ago, I was struck by the absence of billboards along the roads. I guess it was against the law. Actually I missed them. Sure, too many can be obnoxious and an eyesore, but I found I rely on the information they present as I travel.
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.
Aerial billboards are similar to roadside billboards but different in a number of ways as well. For example, the roadside billboard is fixed, being seen by moving people. Aerial billboards on the other hand, are moving while the people are stationary. Also, the roadside billboard is only noticed by those looking its way as they drive. The aerial billboard is read by virtually everyone who sees it because of the uniqueness of the display. The roadside billboard will be viewed by 100,000 people after a long time; the aerial billboard could be read by that many 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.
The billboard is weighted on the bottom so that it stays upright, and has a lead pole attached to the front. A bridle is attached to that and the bridle to a 250 feet long rope attached to the plane. To get the billboard into the air, the pilot must take off without it, then circle around and catch a loop of rope fastened to the tow rope. He catches it with a large hook attached to the rear of the plane. He immediately banks upward so the billboard is hoisted up and not dragged along 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 $400 to $500 an hour for towing time and about $2500 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.
