Red Bull's floating billboards

Red Bull tapped bbi Display Systems for non-traditional advertising solutions to promote the 2010 US Red Bull Flugtag tour. bbi supplied a series of 8m floating billboards and custom props that were towed along beaches on the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean by boats and jet skis.

The billboard boats featured the message "Defy the Laws of Gravity and Sanity." Additional units trailed with banners listing the event details. Also included in the marketing mix were two custom props affixed to bbi Display pontoon platforms. The props included a pig with wings and a foot with wings.

Drawing the crowds

The billboards and props first appeared in Miami to promote the first 2010 Red Bull North American Flugtag stop in Bayfront Park. The units were towed along South Beach and throughout the intercoastal leading up to the event. On event day, over 85 000 spectators showed up.

The portable bbi Display Systems were then shipped to the West Coast to promote the Long Beach Rainbow Harbour event. The billboards were towed on water for 10 days leading up to the event. The inflatable displays appeared along Manhattan, Hermosa and Redondo beaches for the initial 4 days. The following 6 days were spent targeting the Long Beach area and surrounding marinas, beaches and piers.

The event attracted over 105 000 spectators marking the largest attendance of any Flugtag event. According to the Red Bull website, "The crowd was so enormous that the 710 freeway's exit ramp to the area was closed, all parking garages were at capacity and traffic was gridlocked throughout the downtown area."

Take a look at some images from the event:

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