The Marketer’s Guide To FAA Flight Regulations June 24, 2014
Most people never need to think about complying with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations. Consequently, it seems daunting to those making their first foray into aerial advertising. But FAA flight regulations shouldn’t be cause for concern.
The most important thing to keep in mind about applicable federal rules is that they prohibit flights from one hour before many major outdoor sporting events begin until one hour after they end.
The rest of the time, it’s generally free game. But wait, you might say. Why would you want to pay for advertising that won’t even be visible to consumers during the game?
It may sound like a waste of time, but the truth of the matter is, FAA fly regulations are actually a blessing in disguise. You have an active, captive audience before a football game, not during the game when fans are watching the action on the field. Your best opportunity to connect with people is when they’re tailgating or arriving to the stadium.
NASCAR advertising is a high-impact solution for many brands. There are certain events, such as NASCAR’s Nationwide Series, where you are allowed to fly during the actual event. But, perhaps unsurprisingly, people are more open to engaging with an advertisement when they’re not distracted by the race. They’re more likely to notice an ad when they’re hanging out drinking beer with their friends.
If you’re skeptical, consider this: For a major NASCAR Sprint Series race on a Sunday, fans start showing up on Tuesday. By Thursday, there are more than 100,000 people relaxing and having a good time waiting for the action to begin. Why not start making an impression immediately? Races often last for several hours, but you’ll find it much more effective to engage people in the several days leading up to the event.
Again, you want to reach people when they’re relaxed — that’s the best time to get your brand in front of them as much as possible. Recall rates are going to be much higher if you spend three days with an aerial presence before an event rather than a few hours when your audience is fixated on the race.
FAA regulations are no cause for concern, and they certainly don’t diminish the effectiveness of an aerial advertising campaign.