Inflight ads stick chewing gum on overhead lockers

The sky is now the limit for advertising space with budget airline Freedom Air trialling a new style of onboard promotion that adds flying billboards to overhead lockers.

Gum-maker Wrigley's will have its campaign for a new breath freshener stuck to luggage lockers when the routine Hamilton to Melbourne flight leaves on July 1.

The Air New Zealand subsidiary has been working with Melbourne-based Inflight Advertising this year and will trial the advertising for three months on one aircraft.

"It's something new and innovative and an additional source of revenue," said Freedom Air acting sales and marketing manager Nicola Forman.

Inflight Advertising owns the worldwide rights for the cabin advertising concept and plans to expand to the United States, Europe and Asia.

Managing director Paul Conaghan said the idea had taken several years to realise due to complex aviation safety regulations.

"The regulations are tight and we've had to keep redeveloping."

The company had to sift through 28 volumes of Federal Aviation Administration regulations.

Conaghan said advertising overkill was not an issue because the advertisements would appear only on every second locker - a limit of 10 per craft - and creative teams would endeavour to supply witty campaigns that would amuse passengers.

Australian petrol stations are also starting advertising on pumps, Queensland company Videx having developed a multi-media advertising system for fuel bowsers.

- NZPA