Heading off into Virgin space..
If Net#work BBDO pulls off its request to NASA, it will be the advertising coup of the century - the first sub-orbital billboard in space to greet the passengers of Richard's Branson's latest offering, Virgin Galactic SpaceShip2, due to make its maiden voyage in 2008.
Richard Branson and Mike Schalit
This year marks Virgin's 10th birthday in South Africa and Virgin and Net#work's 10 year partnership. Creative executive director Julian Watt says: "This time, we've been inspired by Virgin's healthy disrespect for the impossible. Richard Branson has always embodied this ideal and it's pretty much rubbed off on us. To celebrate their 10th birthday and the 10 years of our partnership, we're going for the 'impossible':
"As their advertising partner, we should be able to supply their demand regardless of where they are. Correct? So, given that Virgin's plan is to send a passenger airplane into space; shouldn't there be some advertising right up there with them? Why can't there be a space billboard to read? Perhaps something like, 'From the airline that brought you legroom, we bring you space'. Our plan is to create a world-first. Never before has a billboard roamed the stratosphere for commercial consumption."
Continues Watt, "The letter we sent to NASA is our official appeal to NASA to set in motion our project plan to engineer, build and launch the idea. We have no delusions about the enormity of our quest. But hey, nothing ventured, nothing gained, right? Start counting down now."
