Ads Highlight Action, Adventure Of Flying

Nearly $1 million in national television advertising begins the week of April 21 as the industry-supported BE A PILOT program launches another TV campaign for new converts to flying. Some 2,000 commercials will air through late September.

”BE A PILOT is General Aviation’s first use of regular, national TV advertising to attract consumers to the benefits of flying,” said BE A PILOT president/CEO Drew Steketee. Such advertising became possible with the advent of targeted, niche cable TV networks in the 1990s. Called “narrowcasting” (in contrast to TV’s three original broadcast networks), themed cable networks made national TV affordable and effective for an aviation message aimed at a relatively small target audience.

For 2003, at least seven national cable channels will air BE A PILOT messages. Eight new BE A PILOT commercials will air on active-lifestyle, action- and learningoriented networks. They include Discovery Channel, ESPN2, ESPN News, ESPN Classic and the aviation-oriented Discovery Wings channel on digital cable.

Spots are scheduled to appear on Discovery’s “On the Inside” and “Discovery Sunday;” ESPN2/News/Classic shows including auto racing, sports variety and “Triple Play;” and “Wings at Work,” “Wings at War,” “Centennial of Flight” and “Destination Space” on Discovery Wings. The business-oriented audience will see BE A PILOT messages on CNBC during “Wake-Up Call” and “Squawk Box” plus the popular “Kudlow & Cramer” program.

Special messages for “Techies”

BE A PILOT also will reach computer- and science-oriented audiences with spots on the new Tech TV network and on Discovery Science. Commercials on these networks will include special emphasis on the electronics revolution in the General Aviation cockpit. One message, depicting the new electronic instrumentation in a high-performance single, asks, “Want a Fast Computer?” Another spot, beginning with a close-up of a new multi-function display, says, “This is no video game!” Widening out to show both hi-tech instrumentation and the runway ahead, the spot concludes, “This is flying!”

While previous industry campaigns have focused on aircraft alone, BE A PILOT also emphasizes new avionics and other products that make flying easier and more intuitive. Manufacturers such as Honeywell, GARMIN, Goodrich, Rockwell Collins, Avidyne, S-TEC and others help make BE A PILOT possible.

Flying Scenes Show Action, Adventure

This year’s flying-oriented commercials feature aircraft in action and adventure settings for the action-oriented audiences of Discovery, ESPN and other networks. Depicted this year are more exciting flight maneuvers, beautiful in-flight vistas and even a back-country take-off from a remote location. (BE A PILOT’s 2002 commercials communicated a lifestyle message showing aviation’s place in family life.) Aircraft shown in 2003 TV advertising include those of BE A PILOT sponsors Cessna, Cirrus, Raytheon and Diamond.

The 2003 TV schedule will include 29 airings on Discovery Channel, 252 spots on three ESPN offerings and 445 commercials on Discovery Wings. Spots will air 855 times on Tech TV and 240 times on Discovery Science, plus 137 airings on CNBC. Additional network and program schedules will be  announced later.

Last year, about 25,000 of nearly 35,000 consumers who requested BE A PILOT’s Introductory Flight Certificate for a low-cost first flying lesson did so from TV advertising. Some 86% responded through www.beapilot.com, which is prominently featured in the TV spots.

FMI: www.beapilot.com