Insights:Marketing Insights: Bye, Bye Goodyear Blimp

Those who know me, know I love floating the idea of a blimp for almost any marketing challenge. Of course, this is done tongue-in-cheek, but there is something about these ships of the skies that captures the imagination and makes the impossible seem possible.

Goodyear figured this out around 90 years ago and they’ve been lifting their brand image with blimps ever since. Other companies, like MetLife and Fuji Film have also looked to the sky for marketing manna, but no other company has held the floating billboard course for as long as Goodyear.

But like all inspired things, time moves on and changes appear on the horizon.

The change in this case is simply the retiring of Goodyear’s last blimp in 2017 as they update their fleet of three lighter than aircraft to rigid airships. Unlike blimps, rigid airships have a solid structure inside which keeps the balloons shape. Rigid airships also provide more control and can carry more people.

Even with this change in vehicles, Goodyear has stated that they will still be called Goodyear blimps because Goodyear rigid airships just doesn’t sound as catchy.

When most people look up at sporting events or outdoor events, they will most likely not notice the change. They will notice the name, which is the real reason it’s floating up there anyways. So these marketing behemoths will continue to deliver value as they lazily float across America.

The real lesson of the Goodyear blimp is that unique branding approaches can become a lasting part of the shared American experience.

If you’re ready to see sky returns on your marketing give us a call. If you think you’d like a blimp….call right now!

The Goodyear blimp is dead. Long live the Goodyear blimp.