Thursday, February 6, 2020

Hot Ads: How Air Balloon Advertising Can Benefit Your Business

Hot air balloons have long been used as a prominent method of advertisement. We share how hot ads can benefit your business.
The costs of digital marketing are higher than they have ever been.
This can be attributed to a host of factors that include increasing demand for digital marketing services.
As a matter of fact, digital marketing spend in 2019 will account for more than 50 percent of all ad spend in most developed countries.
While digital marketing can be effective, there are some innovative traditional marketing techniques that can pass the message quickly and effectively.
Have you heard of hot ads?
Innovative ideas are bound to capture the attention of most people, which is what you need to effectively promote your brand or products.
As such, it is imperative that you examine your business landscape and think out of the box. This can enable you to come up with a strategy that will create buzz around your brand. Hot air balloon advertising is such an idea.
Hot air balloons have long been used as a prominent method of advertisement. This article will describe how hot ads can benefit your business.

Why Hot Ads?

Hot air balloons were a popular advertising tool in the mid-20th Century. However, with the advent of television, radio, and now the internet, they took a backseat to modern media.
But here’s why they can still be effective for your brand:

1. They Are Big

A hot air balloon can be seen miles away.
As such, even if a person is not able to clearly make out the name of your brand or the products being advertised, it will pique their curiosity enough to make an effort to know what the balloon is all about.
As such, their big size makes them one of the most ideal ways of reaching a larger audience, especially if most of your target audience is local. You will be able to reach people on the highways as well as those walking the city streets.
What’s more, those locked up in their office cubicles in high-rises won’t be safe from your advertising as well.

2. They Are Unique

In the present day, hot air balloon advertising is a novel concept. People do not expect to see a balloon when they walk out of their homes. As such, they have the X-factor that catches people attention very easily.
Additionally, their novelty factor ensures that the message on the brand is likely to be stuck in people’s memories for longer than other types of advertising.

3. Help in Branding

It might surprise you to know that the image you are having right now of a hot air balloon is not the only shape there is of hot air balloons. They can be shaped in several different ways.
In fact, specialized advertising balloons can be designed to take the shape of the product being advertised.
This way, your target audience does not need to actually make out the name of your brand or product for them to know what is being advertised.
Using the appearance of your product to create awareness about it is one of the most effective branding strategies out there.

4. They Are Mobile

Unlike other conventional types of advertisements, such as billboards, TV, or prints ads, hot air balloons are mobile. As such, they do not need to be fixed at one vantage point as a billboard would.
And in the cases where they need to be tied to one location, so they do not drift away, an advertising balloon still has the advantage of being visible from multiple directions.

5. They Are Cheap

While it may not appear as so, an advertising balloon is actually cheaper than a billboard.
Thus, when you consider that it is able to reach a bigger audience than a billboard would or magazines, an advertising balloon will give you a better return on your marketing investment.

6. Creating Excitement and Buzz

As mentioned earlier, a balloon has that ‘wow’ factor going for it. Just seeing a giant balloon floating around will be enough for people to want to chase after it to see what it is all about.
That is exactly the kind of attention that any brand wants to create in the public.
And in the current era of social media where people whip out their phones to document the latest excitement, your brand will find its way to the eyes of users who were not anywhere close to your location.

7. You Have No Competition

Unlike other types of advertising where your ad tends to be just another one among a sea of other ads, advertising balloons offer you exclusivity.
As such, you do not have to worry where your company’s name falls in search engine results pages.
Your business will be the only name flying in the sky.

8. Versatility

The flexibility of a hot air balloon allows you to even geo-target your audiences. As such you do not have to settle for floating your balloon just over your premises.
You can get creative and float it in locations where there is high traffic so that your advertisement is hard to miss.
This is something that static forms of advertising cannot offer you.

9. Suits All Sorts of Businesses

Both large and small companies can use advertising balloons. A small business with a tight budget will find that a balloon will work perfectly for them since they can use it for many years.
If the message or brand changes, all they will have to do is update the balloon.
Larger businesses will love balloons since they offer a quick and effective means of garnering attention. They can use the balloons in events such as product launches, grand openings, and festivals.

Getting Your Message Out There

Hot air balloons have been with us since the 3rd Century AD. Since then, they have found a myriad of uses ranging from traveling to war to advertising.
As mentioned earlier, marketing is not effective unless it is impactful. And that is the exact effect hot air balloon adverting has.
If you haven’t tried hot ads yet, it is probably time to give it a shot.
Call Shane now for a quote 480-991-4260

Phoenix Hot Air Balloon Rides: The First-timer Experience

On September 19, 1783, the Montgolfier Brothers were the first to send aviators aloft in a hot-air balloon. Those aviators? A sheep, a duck, and a rooster!
In the 1950s, Ed Yost began development of the modern hot-air balloon which took flight in 1960. 
Today, hot-air balloons take flight all over the world.
The largest and most exciting balloon event takes place in Albuquerque, New Mexico each year in October. It features over 500 balloons all launching from one field. 
If you're trying ballooning for the first time, you're in for a real treat! Phoenix hot-air balloon rides are a great adventure. 
Wondering what to expect for your first ride aloft? There are a few things you should know.
Read on for information about this unforgettable experience!

Be Flexible

Hot-air balloon flights are different from other types of flight. The pilot is at the mercy of the weather. 
A storm that's 250 miles away can affect the weather in your area. Balloon pilots fly under FAR 91.155. These are visual flight rules with no instruments. 
If the weather is the slightest bit unpredictable, the pilot cancels.
If you're planning your balloon flight while you're on vacation, schedule it early in the trip. If your flight is canceled, you'll have time for rescheduling. 
Balloons can't fly in strong winds. What looks like a light breeze to you may be too much for the balloon. 

Timing Is Everything

Hot-air balloon rides happen early in the morning or right before sunset. During the middle of the day, the sun heats the ground and causes thermals.
Thermals are powerful rising air currents that are dangerous for balloons.
They're not a danger until the sun has been up long enough to heat the ground. Due to asphalt parking lots and varying terrain, the ground heats in an uneven manner. 
Wind is also a factor since it picks up during the day.
Most areas, though not all, are too windy for evening flights. Expect to get up early to meet your balloon pilot and other passengers. 
It's possible you'll meet your pilot as early as 4 a.m. Don't forget to set your alarm, and don't hit the snooze button!
There's no set take-off site for hot-air balloons. The pilots look at the weather and wind direction and set out looking for the best launch spot. Sometimes it takes a little while. 

Wear Layers

Take note of the weather as soon as you get up. Many places are chilly in the morning and get warm when the sun rises. Dressing in layers is a good idea when you're going ballooning. 
Depending on how high your pilot takes you, it'll be cooler when you're aloft. The temperature, on average, decreases about 3 degrees Fahrenheit per 1,000 feet. It might be about 10 degrees cooler in flight than on the ground. 
By the time you land, the sun's up. If it's warm, take off the outer layers. And don't forget your sunglasses!

How Does a Hot-Air Balloon Work?

Hot-air balloons are giant fabric "envelopes." They're made from Dacron or ripstop nylon. The top of the balloon is coated with a flame-resistant material.
The fabric is attached to a huge wicker basket with heavy-duty steel cables. 
The basket holds propane tanks that power the burners for flight. 
When you arrive at your launch destination, the pilot and crew remove the envelope and basket from the truck. 
The crew removes the envelope from its bag and stretches it out across the field. The wicker basket lays on its side. The crew attaches the cables to the basket. 
The crew holds the edges of the skirt open while a huge fan inflates the balloon. Upon full inflation, the pilot lights the burner. Be ready! The noise is loud and often startles people.
As the pilot sends plumes of hot air into the balloon, it slowly rises to a standing position. Most balloons stand about seven stories tall with about 90,000 cubic feet of hot air. 
Once standing, the crew helps the passengers into the balloon. You're ready for takeoff!

You're Flying in a Wicker Basket

Yes! You're flying thousands of feet above the ground in a wicker basket. It's helpful if you're a people person because you're going to get close to the people flying with you. 
There's little room for moving around when you're in a hot-air balloon basket. Depending on the size of the balloon, there could be up to 29 other passengers with you. 
But most balloons hold from 4-15 passengers. You can't bring a lot of stuff on board with you. But don't forget your camera!
Don't worry about air sickness. The balloon floats gently with the wind, so you won't notice much movement. And you'll be so fascinated, you won't think about getting sick. 
It's a quiet, gentle experience, except for the sound of the burner. But the burner isn't going all the time, only when the pilot needs to add hot air to the envelope. 

The Landing

Landing in a hot-air balloon is sometimes an adventure of its own. The wind plays a big part. If the wind picks up and the balloon is coming in fast, the landing is exciting. 
But don't let it scare you. Most of the time, the balloon stays upright upon landing. But sometimes the basket falls over.
Don't lock your knees, but brace yourself and protect your camera gear!

The Celebration

After landing, most companies offer a champagne celebration. It includes the recitation of the Balloonist's Prayer:
"The winds have welcomed you with softness. The sun has blessed you with its warm hands. You have flown so high and so well that God has joined you in laughter and set you gently back into the loving arms of Mother Earth."
Don't be surprised if the pilot "christens" you with champagne!

Phoenix Hot-Air Balloon Rides Are a Blast

Now you're ready for Phoenix hot-air balloon rides! Start your day with a fun adventure. Remember to set your alarm and dress in layers. 
Be flexible in case weather disrupts the scheduled flight. Bring your camera and have a blast!
A balloon ride costs around $200 dollars per person, but it's well worth it. Ready for your first balloon ride? Schedule one here. https://www.aerogelicballooning.com/reservations/