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.
Of course, most billboards are huge signs pasted to a support on some rented piece of property like a farmer’s field. The more people who travel that highway, the better. The billboard stands there, awaiting people traveling by to read the message. Now imagine this billboard flying into the air over some huge gathering of people. That is the essence of advertising with aerial billboards.
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 billboards are made of lightweight but strong nylon. With some the message is painted, with others it is dyed in the material with a sun inhibitor for protection. The billboard is not really a banner though some pull an additional banner message behind them. Aerial billboards could be as large as 100 feet long and 50 feet tall! It could display a logo, the name of a product, a photo, or anything else 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.
What is the difference between aerial banners and aerial billboards? The only real difference is the size and shape of the message trailing behind the plane. Clients might include restaurants, products, special events, congratulatory messages, wedding proposals, directions, information like a web page to get further details, special sales events, businesses, movie ads, and so on. Billboards display just about any brief message someone wants to get to the public in a hurry.
The good news is that the cost of a billboard or banner ad is a lot less than some TV or printed ads. Generally, companies charge from 00 up to design and prepare the billboard itself. The charge to pull the billboard is usually 0 to 0 an hour. If it is done right, companies using this method of aerial advertising can be confident that the billboard will bring in revenue equal to several times this cost. It is an investment.