Advertising in the sky (also known as aerial advertising) has become a very successful means of getting a message across to a local group of people quickly. Usually a banner is pulled behind a single engine plane over a beach or sporting event. This huge exposure of a product, service, coming event or the like means more people are likely to investigate further.
Besides a long banner pulled behind a plane, others market their product by making a billboard and hiring a plane to pull that over the crowd. Some even pull a banner behind a billboard. Another option is to use a helicopter to pull a banner. Though more expensive, helicopters can pull much larger banners and billboards than single engine planes can.
Helium balloons are also used to attract attention. When a giant balloon is seen attached to the ground by a banner, people will drive over to see where it leads. A newer form of aerial advertising is by hot air balloon, or blimp. It is possible to buy a blimp and have your company name put on the side. Goodyear has become famous doing this and their use of the blimp for others probably pays their expenses. However, this is very expensive and probably cost prohibitive to most companies.
Remote controlled balloons are a nice compromise, inexpensive but further off the ground than helium balloons. These balloons are heavier than air since they have to come down. Without the weight of a pilot, the balloon doesn’t need to be as large to carry the ad.
The balloon has a small pusher prop in the back and the angle of this is adjusted by the remote control. When the propeller is raised, then the rear of the balloon goes down and the nose goes up, and vice versa. Left and right control works the same. In this way, the balloon can be controlled like a slow moving model plane. If the balloon has an advertisement on the side, it can be flown over a group of people as many times as is needed, then returned to the feet of the controller.
The size of these balloons varies, some starting at six feet and going to nearly twenty feet long. Because they are not helium filled, preparing and launching them is easy and inexpensive. Of course, wind is always a factor for a light vehicle such as this and if it is too strong, scheduled flying may need to be postponed.
Costs largely depend on the size of the balloon desired. One company sells six foot balloons with the ad displayed on the side for $1500. The thirteen feet costs about $4000 and the seventeen feet balloon sells for about $7000. Of course, there is no expense to hire a pilot with a remote controlled balloon. Fly it as you like, and as often as you like as weather permits. Just know that aerial advertising is unique and will get attention that’s remembered.

