THE PHILIPPINES, FEBRUARY 8, 2012: Brand placement will literally take to the skies the weekend of February 9-12, in what will turn out to be the largest outdoor advertising display in the country. Brands are seeing the opportunities at the 17th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta (PIHABF), the largest international sports aviation show in the region, annually held at Clark Field, Pampanga. A day onto the event and sponsorship, deals are still being inked, with a total count hitting double of last year’s.
A main attraction for advertisers is balloon branding, and sponsors such as Sunkist, Close-Up, UPS, Alveoland, Philippine Daily Inquirer, and SM, are expected to fly their brands, either through banners or their own specialty-shaped balloons.
Air Asia, the country’s newest commercial airline, will even have an aircraft display during the fiesta.
But not all eyes will be on the sky as on-ground attractions will bank on brand engagement. Close-up’s Fresh Glass Challenge, R.O.X.’s wall climbing area, and the Crayola Activity Center, are expected to draw in crowds. Even before the event, sponsors have been offering fiesta tickets as prizes to fuel their activation campaigns.
Caltex, one of the PIHABF’s major sponsors, has tapped the digital space. The Up and Away Facebook application invites users to design their own hot air balloon online to win tickets to the fiesta.
This year’s Hot Air Balloon Festival’s value for advertisers is increasing as it is now becoming packaged as a family and tourist attraction. With a crowd expected to go beyond last year’s 80, 000 head count, and extensive media coverage from local and foreign news outfits, the event itself has become a brand. It is giving a lift to local businesses as well. Captain Joy Roa, head of the PIHABF, said, “Fiesta days are the only days in the year when restaurants and hotels are fully-booked in the vicinity.” It has also drew in participation from countries such as the United States, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Poland, the Netherlands, Austria, Japan, England, and South Korea.
This year, see what brands and concepts will take off at the 17th Philippine Hot Air Balloon Fiesta, happening on February 9-12 at the Air Force City, Diosdado Macapagal International Airport, Clark Field, Pampanga.
