As Campaign Nears Fifth Year, No Plane No Gain Prominent at NBAA2013

October 21, 2013

As attendees arrive at NBAA’s Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA2013) this week, they’ll see the messages of the No Plane No Gain campaign displayed prominently throughout the Las Vegas Convention Center via enormous hanging banners, standing signs and video displays. The Convention signage is just one facet of the latest No Plane No Gain advertising and educational campaign, jointly sponsored by NBAA and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA).

The positive messages about business aviation displayed throughout the convention center will be seen not only by NBAA2013 attendees but also by the many government leaders and nearly 400 journalists from around the world who will be in attendance at this week’s show. Additionally, in the coming months, the signs will be used in print and online ads in industry trade publications and other media outlets.

“Getting our message out is really what the No Plane No Gain program is all about,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “The key to the campaign’s continued success is to keep finding new ways to make that message compelling,” said Bolen.

Nearly Five Years of Continuous Growth

The campaign was launched in the early months of 2009, with television, print and online advertising in top news outlets, as well as grassroots events, data-driven research and online tools.

As No Plane No Gain approaches its five-year anniversary in February 2014, the results have been remarkable. The bipartisan House and Senate General Aviation (GA) Caucuses launched the same year have grown to 229 members and 40 members, respectively. “Today, those caucuses are among the largest and most active in Congress,” said Bolen.

Also since No Plane No Gain was launched, 49 governors have issued proclamations on how essential business aviation is in their states.

Nearly every year of the campaign, NBAA and GAMA have commissioned a study on the benefits of business aviation to citizens, companies and communities. Conducted by NEXA Advisors, the studies have documented that large and small companies – as well as government agencies – rely on government aircraft to be efficient in both economic boom times and in recessions.

Campaign Reach Continues to Expand With Social Media

Online, the spread of the No Plane No Gain has been even more dramatic. The campaign uses targeted Google advertising to help correct misperceptions about business aviation, for example when people search for negative terms about the industry. These ads have been viewed 3 million times on more than 6,000 websites.

In the last year alone, No Plane No Gain’s Twitter followers have increased from 3,408 to more than 6,000. People following the campaign on Facebook have increased 335 percent over last October, to more than 4,700. In turn, the No Plane No Gain website at http://noplanenogain.org has seen a 450 percent increase in visitors referred by social media.

“Social media is an ideal tool to expand the breadth and diversity of people we can reach with the No Plane No Gain message,” said Bolen. “Our social media followers include current members of Congress, business leaders and some of the top aviation reporters in the country.