Fast Facts

What
   Ads displayed on paragliders.

Who
   Blueflyer, based out of Los Angeles.

How it works
   Ads are displayed on the underside of paragliders where they can be seen by eyeballs on the ground.
   “They’re full-sized billboards that fly,” says Frank Breek, vice president for marketing and sales.  Wing size is 38 feet by 8 feet, or a total of 300 square feet. “The entire area can be used,” Breek says.
   Full-color ads are printed on the nylon fabric. Logos and photographic images work well. Creative is provided by the advertiser.
   “Bright colors are perfect,” Breek says.
   The branded wings travel 20 to 100 feet above the ground, Breek says. “We fly low, slow and can turn on a dime. We take off from the beach and can communicate with people on the ground. That’s how close we are to the public.”
   While beaches are their most frequent target, BlueFlyers also fly above ski resorts and target national events like motocross races and groups like college students on spring break.
   “The only limitations are we’re not allowed to fly over stadiums or highly populated areas like cities,” Breek says
   A flight can last up to two hours. The branded paragliders can travel singly or in groups. “We can fly formations to create a great impact. At the moment we have 15 wings ready to go,” Breek says. “It actually makes a little air show. You pick the fly area and we buzz around like little bugs for hours.”
    The wings can also work in tandem with street teams handing out flyers or samples on the beach. “It’s a combination that has impact,” he says.
   Branded paragliders can be used as a stand-alone or with other elements in a campaign. “It works well as a stand-alone, especially for something like a movie release,” Breek says.
  Blueflyer partners with a choice of media companies or can work with a company the advertiser prefers. Service is turnkey.
   Displays at beaches as well as ski resorts make the medium year-round. Product exclusivity is built in.

Markets
   “We can fly in any market that has open space,” Breek says. Multiple markets can be flown in the same day.

How measured
   Impressions are estimated in a number of ways, says Paul Myers, president of California-based 540 Marketing. Myers has worked with Blueflyer on recent campaigns for Miller Brewing.
   “For beach-related events we go to Parks and Rec. or lifeguards or police for a count. For ticketed events we use attendance numbers. Street teams provide sampling numbers. Exit polls work with sporting events and provide counts as well as other data. We also use mini-CDs with a bounce-back coupon or contest to gather demographic information for advertisers, and that also provides a count.”

What product categories do well
   Entertainment including movie releases, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, radio stations, automotive including dealerships, retail, fast food, telecommunications and fashion all do well, Breek says.
   “Categories run the gamut from automotive to telecom,” Myers says. “Almost all segments have used aerial advertising.” 
   National, regional and local advertisers are accepted.

Demographics
   Groups can be targeted, Myers says. “For example, students at South Padre Island or Cancun for spring break. Young adults at the X Games in Aspen or the Gravity Games at Vail. Other groups at golf courses, music festivals, sports events.”

Making the buy
   Lead time is four to six weeks. Costs are broken down into production, air time and travel. Two thousand dollars buys one wing or unit for one full day event. The cost for 15 days is $3,000 and 90 consecutive days is $4,375. Add to that the cost of flying at $225 to $250 per hour. Costs are multiplied by number of gliders for formations.
   Travel costs vary. Blueflyer’s home territory, all of Southern California, wouldn’t include a premium for travel.
   The entire canopy is called the wing. Different creative can be printed on each side of the canopy. Street team costs are also an add-on. Rain checks are issued for scheduled days if inclement weather occurs.

Who’s already on paragliders?
   Miller Brewing is launching for a spring break campaign. Boost Mobile and Quicksilver Clothing recently advertised on Blueflyers.

What they’re saying
   “It’s amazing how many people look up even when there’s no advertising on the wings. Nine out of 10 look up. It’s unique.” -- Frank Breek, Blueflyer's vice president for marketing and sales

Web site info
   Blueflyer at www.blueflyer.org

Etc.
   Blueflyer also flies internationally.