One of the most dependable and effective out-of-home advertising mediums for many years has been airport advertising. The media places highly on almost all metrics, including reach, audience, and receptivity. The pandemic sent airport traffic spiralling, which was the only issue during the last 13 months that prevented air travel.
But it seems like that is the past now. As the COVID threat begins to recede, we are gradually returning to our regular travel schedule. This implies that finding supplies in airports could suddenly become exceedingly difficult. It can be easier to decide how airport advertising should fit into your plans if you are aware of the possibilities and advantages.
What Is Advertising at Airports?
All forms of outdoor advertising used in airports to reach passengers are included in the term “airport advertising.” It consists of everything, from spectaculars on a concourse to digital displays on a terminal wall to static advertisements inside an airport shuttle bus.
Airport Advertising Types
Depending on your budget and the type of goods you want to market, airport advertising may be the ideal option. These are the top six selections.
1. Dioramas that are backlit
These can be purchased for cheaper money in the baggage claim area, in the terminal, or at the gate. For passersby, backlit displays illuminate your advertisement. They come in numerous sizes and can be freestanding or mounted on a wall.
2. Extravaganzas
Spectaculars are large, up to 15 feet wide, lightbox static advertisements. They are sold everywhere, including at taxi stands, rental car agencies, and more.
3. Mini Spectaculars, third
Similar to a typical spectacular, but scaled down. They are frequently put in concourses or arrival zones.
4. Signage
Between the ceiling and the top of an entrance or gateway, a sizable amount of airport walls are covered in banners. On these billboards, there are a lot of well-known brands advertising because they cost more and draw more attention.
5. Electronic video displays
Digital video screen sets are common in airport concourses and entranceways, much as they are in malls where you can see them as you move between stores. Advertisers can create video commercials to share with other advertisers and play continuously.
6. Airport shuttle services
Shuttles transport travellers between terminals and contain advertisements, which often work well due to the lengthy stay time.
Do you have questions regarding CNN Airport Network? That would have been an option up until recently, when CNN grounded the venerable channel in March 2021, blaming declining airline passenger numbers as a result of COVID and the widespread use of personal electronic devices. When you can stream CNN from your phone, there’s no need for a dedicated airport channel.
Why Advertise in Airports?
Advertising in airports has been shown to effectively spread brand messaging to an affluent audience of travellers. Most travellers are aware of the advertisements found in airports, and they consider the brands that do so to be reputable.
Airport advertising has several advantages, including:
- Audience that is responsive: Most travellers have a joyful, enthusiastic attitude that makes them more receptive to messaging.
- Airport visitors are captive audiences because they have nowhere else to go and nowhere else to look. They must see your messaging because they must maintain an eye on their surroundings to make their flight.
- Audience with higher incomes than the general public: Air travellers tend to be more affluent. In airports, luxury companies do well, but so do other industries like music and entertainment.
What About COVID, though?
Airports were naturally nearly vacant when the COVID-19 outbreak started and for months afterwards. A United Nations research claims that in 2020, the number of passengers per flight will have decreased by half.
However, with the vaccination programme well under way and people still nursing their pent-up wanderlust and yearning to visit distant relatives after so many months, the aviation industry is ready to make a comeback. A huge influx of people will likely head to the airports after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just announced that those who have the vaccine can travel within the United States securely.
What will be there when you arrive? Advertising.
Costs of Airport Advertising
Location is the key to pricing in airports, as it is in almost every sort of outdoor advertising. That has two benefits. First, it costs more to advertise in larger airports than in smaller ones. Additionally, the most sought-after airport advertising spots are more expensive.
The extremely large airports, like LAX in Los Angeles, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and JFK in New York, are the most expensive to advertise at. At smaller airports, you can find better deals, but you won’t be able to contact as many people.
Pricing for various alternatives can vary significantly, but it mainly depends on demand and how many people will view your advertisement. Gates and departure areas, where passengers congregate to wait to board aircraft, are the most expensive locations. The price increases as the dwell duration increases.
Baggage claims are the least popular and, hence, least expensive location to purchase airport advertising. Here’s why:
Nowadays, fewer people examine their bags because it costs money. They don’t even need to go to baggage claim because they only have a carry-on bag. Less people Equals cheaper advertising.
Those who do visit the baggage claim are intent just on retrieving their belongings and leaving the airport. They want to focus on playing suitcase rodeo without being interrupted. You can display an advertisement on a nearby digital screen, but people might not notice it.
How long does a typical airport advertising purchase last?
Larger airports often meet the four-week normal billboard buy time. Because of the strong demand for the area, you typically cannot purchase a longer duration. Prices increase as a result of the tight supply of space.
Longer ad runs can be found at smaller airports where fewer sponsors are vying for space. You might be able to work out a fair price for a two- or three-month stay. The airport like it when the advertising areas are occupied, therefore they are eager for vendors to make whatever sales they can.
