Commentary

Plug-In Promos

As globetrotting business travelers dart in and out of airports, they're barraged with ad messages everywhere they turn: on the walls, the floors, even the baggage carts.

To combat the perceived ad overload, Chase Commercial Banking charged ad firm Bradley and Montgomery with finding a novel way to reach business decision makers. The firm settled on one location that travelers actively seek out: electrical outlets. The ads debuted earlier this year at the Indianapolis International Airport.

Airport executives didn't immediately embrace the idea, admits Ben Carlson, head of media and account services at Bradley and Montgomery. Once the agency unveiled a few creative executions and mentioned the magic words "additional revenue stream," the Indy airport gave the go-ahead.

The short messages include, "This outlet works. Now, you can too," and, "Congratulations. You found a charge chair." While there is no way to measure their impact, Carlson says that the outlet communications "get a lot of stop-and-stare reactions."

The idea may not be for everyone. "Airports are selling big hunks of space already," Carlson concedes. "Our focus is connecting with our client's audience, not creating a new sellable medium."

 

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