Vacationers flying with Skyservice Airlines this month will be exposed to products on more than just their copy of SkyMall, as Toronto-based alternative OOH specialist Inflite Media introduces its first tray table advertising network.
In partnership with the Toronto-based Canadian charter airline that flies to vacation destinations, Inflite, a division of Statements Media, offers exclusive plane sponsorships that include full-colour vinyl ads on top of the trays, sampling opportunities and announcements made by flight attendants informing travellers about the ads.
Calgary-based Fabutan is the launch advertiser on the platform the week of March 9, with a campaign targeting consumers who want to ‘keep their tan going’ upon their return. Holidayers will also receive a coupon for 75 minutes of tanning to be used at one of its 140 national locations. Fabutan’s eight-week buy will reach about 80,000 consumers, says Adam Watson, VP business development at Statements Media.
‘The passenger exposed to the advertising is in a distraction-free environment,’ says Watson, on its effectiveness. ‘There aren’t many mediums where someone’s strapped into their seat and looking at your ad for three hours at a time.’
Tray advertising was initially introduced to the US market in 2003 by New-York based in-flight media network SkyMedia International, whose partners include GM, FedEx, and Tylenol. Watson saw an opportunity to build the medium in Canada, and for the past year has been developing and planning Inflite Media’s relationship with Canadian airlines and gaining the exclusive Canadian rights to the proprietary materials used in the production of the decals. Watson says the company is in talks with several other Canadian airlines, as they plan to expand the network later this year, if demand warrants it.
Skyservice has a fleet of about 20 planes that fly out of airports across Canada, each with about 200 passenger seats. Media placement costs about $1,200 per week, per plane. Watson sees the opportunity working for more than just tourism-related brands, as vacationers are assumed to be consumers who like to have fun and spend money. ‘Certainly they have disposable income – they are people who like entertainment and leisure activities,’ says Watson.
