A couple of observations

[Malum Prohibitum]

Okay, consider this constructive criticism for the blimp team. I think they have done well considering they were learning HOW to do this AS they did it!

We have learned some really big lessons

1. Blimping aint easy. - There are alot of issues involved, in getting this thing off the ground, and perhaps we should have been a bit more realistic when making promises. In the future, please underpromise and over deliver.

2. Walk the walk, but talk the talk too - Communication is key in keeping happy customers. More status reports will yield much less whining.

2. Weather - The farther south the Blimp stays, the more likely it is to get exposure, especially since more people will be outside. PLEASE CONSIDER a tour of the South and Southwest US Down and around Florida, through the big cities in the south, and texas, and across ABQ and PHX to Southern California for super tuesday.

3. Graphics are important - The banners are WAY too small. Decals need to be put on this thing ASAP, You dont want people having to strain to read it. The whole blimp needs to jump out, with a HUGE RON PAUL that is very easy to read. Please seek the help of a professional to get this done right.

to close, lots of lessons learned, great job learning them on the fly, lets make this project kick even more ass by tweaking a few things to take advantage of our new knowledge.

[MozoVote]

The banners are large enough. I'm not convinced they really needed to launch it today, though.

[cac1963]

Okay, consider this constructive criticism for the blimp team. I think they have done well considering they were learning HOW to do this AS they did it!

We have learned some really big lessons

1. Blimping aint easy. - There are alot of issues involved, in getting this thing off the ground, and perhaps we should have been a bit more realistic when making promises. In the future, please underpromise and over deliver.

2. Weather is important - The farther south the Blimp stays, the more likely it is to get exposure, especially since more people will be outside. PLEASE CONSIDER a tour of the South and Southwest US Down and around Florida, through the big cities in the south, and texas, and across ABQ and PHX to Southern California for super tuesday.

3. Graphics. The banners are WAY too small. Decals need to be put on this thing ASAP, You dont want people having to strain to read it. The whole blimp needs to jump out, with a HUGE RON PAUL that is very easy to read. Please seek the help of a professional to get this done right.

to close, lots of lessons learned, great job learning them on the fly, lets make this project kick even more ass by tweaking a few things to take advantage of our new knowledge.

I agree with everything you said. Touring the south is very important because somehow Huck has taken the lead (http://blog.compete.com/2007/12/11/republicans-ron-paul-guiliani-romney-mccain-huckabee-thompson-if-clicks-equaled-votes/) in the states between Texas and Georgia. Get that blimp over these areas and bring the South back into Ron Paul's reach.

And I agree about the graphics being hard to read at a distance, seems the actual letters are not bold or big enough in contrast to the promotional images used to sell the blimp idea. How expensive would it be to redo the banners?

[MozoVote]

I think it's on the order of $15,000 or so to make new banners. I suppose the font weight could be increased some.

[Malum Prohibitum]

And I agree about the graphics being hard to read at a distance, seems the actual letters are not bold or big enough in contrast to the promotional images used to sell the blimp idea. How expensive would it be to redo the banners?

The problem is that the banners are limited to the size they are. IMHO, its time to have some really popping graphics made up, and get some decals made which cover the whole blimp. You could make the images on the banner at least 50% bigger by stretching it out over the whole blimp.

compare and contrast

http://qurlyjoe.bu.edu/allstar/bud.JPG
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=11560976&size=o
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/8/11560975_921ce3ed43_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/11/11560976_0862e2c592_o.jpg

and now ours...
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2043/2110136951_73f01ce8af_o.jpg

[seapilot]

They had talked about the decals(which are what are in the photos not banners) but they take a lot longer to make, put on and cost more. They mentioned they will go that way if it appears the blimp will be successful and able to extend its contract.

[V4Vendetta]

I agree... the banner has to be bigger..... one that maybe covers the whole damn thing.... like gooodyear and/or budweisers blimp

[Chase]

1. Blimping aint easy.

:p:p;):D hahaha

[MozoVote]

OK, I'll concede this one to the critics. A good graphical banner is a lot better. Dunno if there will be time for it to happen, unfortunately.

[cac1963]

OK, I'll concede this one to the critics. A good graphical banner is a lot better. Dunno if there will be time for it to happen, unfortunately.

Does anyone have a picture of it at its cruising elevation, 2000ft? If it can't be read at that height the whole project is moot. I think somebody should get on it to improve the text visibility before this thing goes much further. $350k for a blimp you can't read in the sky in my book is a waste of precious resources.

[mokkan88]

You have to realize that Goodyear and Budweiser have millions to spend on their blimp. As well, those blimps do not use banners; they are painted on.

I think the banner is fine. It'll look awesome with that Revolution banner.

[dmspilot00]

You have to realize that Goodyear and Budweiser have millions to spend on their blimp. As well, those blimps do not use banners; they are painted on.

That's what I was thinking.


Does anyone have a picture of it at its cruising elevation, 2000ft? It doesn't *have* to fly at 2000.

[Think12345]

Come to senses, people! Are you willing to pay an extra 50K and wait 2-4 more weeks for a little bigger letters? Of course there are a million things that can be done theoretically, but we are extremely limited in what we can do by many things.
The guys did an excellent job given money, time and weather constrains.

[MozoVote]

I think the reason it's being discussed, is that we now know that it takes a few weeks to make a banner. If it will be changed at all, after a month of flying - then proposals should be brought up now.

You're probably right, though - that what is made, will be what stays. I have a feeling the rest of the money raised will be going to flight time.

[Dave Pedersen]

Now that they will miss the TEA PARTY they might as well stay down south and cruise the coastline where the highest density of people live. lots of great exposure along the Florida coastline and like others have pointed out there will be more people outdoors in the southern climate.

Every day and every mile of travel should be optimized.

[Live_Free_Or_Die]

nt

[Duckman]

I think it is spectacular that we even HAVE a blimp. I think the general public can tell ours is an amateur job. I think that actually HELPS us, not hurts us, because it is genuine.

[celticsman7]

If the blimp goes to the Northeast or Midwest, the weather will be so bad (cloudy, rainy, snow, fog) that you won't even be able to see it. It needs to tour South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. Florida is huge if we could win there. You could hit Jacksonville, Miami (where the Fiesta Bowl is I believe) and then Orlando.

[MozoVote]

Another factor to think about is that since it's an unlighted blimp, it needs to be in the daylight. There is more of that in the south than the north. Winter solstice, ya know. :)

[bolidew]

Already talking about Graphics/Decals?
Come on, put on the 2nd banner first! It is half wasting now.

[mokkan88]

http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/rareplants/images/USA-2000-population-density_lg.gif (http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/rareplants/images/USA-2000-population-density_lg.gif)

The schedule should be tailored to a density map. Needless to say, the blimp would be most effective going through the areas with the highest population density.

Anyone know if the blimp team carries a population density map with 'em?

[Proemio]

I think it is spectacular that we even HAVE a blimp. I think the general public can tell ours is an amateur job. I think that actually HELPS us, not hurts us, because it is genuine.

Agreed - great show.
I can't think of any client - gazillian$ multis - who could do this in less than 6 months.
Twenty-thirty years ago maybe, but today the meeeeeetings alone would take 5 months (it's called "increased productivity").

And the government could never pull it off, unless it cost 4 billion and was for 2012.
The bureaucrats would kill the idea - they almost did here...

Edit to add: Of course, it's always good to shoot for more - the best it can be, and better.

[wisconsinite]

If the weather is going to continue to be a problem, it might be wise to consider keeping the blimp focused on South Carolina, Florida, and an Atlanta flyover.

[JohnnyWrath]

After seeing it in the air...I really do wish they had left off the "WHO IS" and the question mark...kind of cluttered and harder to read...should have just put Ron Paul, with the peace, prosperity bit under it.

[JohnnyWrath]

I wish it were coming to Ohio....Ohio has a major impact on elections with 20 electoral votes..I apologize on behalf of my state for putting Bush in office) you can park it behind my place in Medina Ohio just outside Cleveland...we'll keep a light on for ya'

[hawks4ronpaul]

Note that Bud and Goodyear have contrast of light (white/yellow) letters on a huge dark (red/blue/black) background (sky=light, blimp=dark, letters=light).

The Ron Paul letters could be about 50% larger even on the existing banner size.

Reflective, day-glow, or electric lights would help, if possible.

A DC-NYC circuit is still useful even if New England weather is bad.

A round trip to NH should take a week (not counting local movements while up there) so there is plenty of time for the rest of the country if the campaign succeeds.

If Ron's campaign goes for months, the blimp people should plan better banners now.

http://hawks4ronpaul.blogspot.com/

[Wolfgang Bohringer]

After seeing it in the air...I really do wish they had left off the "WHO IS" and the question mark...kind of cluttered and harder to read...should have just put Ron Paul, with the peace, prosperity bit under it.

No question about it.

If we could get new banners made in a week or two for X thousand dollars, it would really be worth it, if X is something like 10 or 20. I've seen different numbers for X--and we all know how well the blimp-ocracy has been so far with communicating accurate details to us loyal customers--so who knows what X is?

When we're spending 350 or 400 thousand per month, not fixing non-functional and embarrassing banners immediately is being penny wise and pound foolish.

I've suggested this before as an easy means for the blimpocracy to communicate to their customers exactly what they're paying for:

Customers should be able to choose between a few different items to buy, such as:

- blimp air time rental
- wages for the tireless blimp workers
- new banners that say Ron Paul - Peace & Prosperity in as big clear letters as possible

If Blimp-Corp did this, then us customers could flood the fix-the-banner meter with $20,000 in no time. A few items on a shopping cart could enable more decision making power at the bottom/grassroots level where it needs to be on this project.

And I bet our heroic blimp workers would get paid much better this way too. I know I would send them a good percentage of my blimp money directly this way.

[Wolfgang Bohringer]

Also, along the lines of grassroots decisions being made by being able to buy a few different aspects of the same project, Blimp-corp could have a competing money meter concept:

For example, they could put two items up to compete for what the banner message will be 1 month from now. Let's say "Ron Paul - Peace & Sound Money" was competing against "Ron Paul - Hope for America". Whichever meter hit $10,000 first would win, and the money from the losing slogan meter would be instantly refunded. It might be as fun as internet gambling, but you never lose. You either win or get your money back.

[hawks4ronpaul]

I agree.

The "Who is" was not the best banner choice because

1. It was OK for name recognition in early '07 but will be largely obsolete after the Tea Party, 2 days after blimp launching with it as the only message.

2. It is potentially suicidal by repeating Admiral Stockdale's 1992 disastrous, rhetorical "Who am I? Why am I here?" and inviting the media to ridicule.


http://hawks4ronpaul.blogspot.com/

[JacobLyles]

Blimp'll have the biggest media impact in New Hampshire until that primary is finished.

[Bossobass]

Since the blimp project has been set up as a for profit enterprise, I don't see why the official campaign couldn't buy banners as campaign ads. After all, they have said that they are looking for ways to spend all of the money that's pouring in. ;)

Bosso

[Wolfgang Bohringer]

The blimp-corp has stated repeatedly that the FEC chairman-lawyer guy that's helped them set this up does NOT want the campaign to be connected.

But, the campaign could take a mere $300,000 from the big haul tomorrow and fire-up their own blimp and send out west here to Las Vegas and California where the weather is always sunny.

It seems like its the least that the campaign could do to give a nod the grassroots and prove they're listening to our ideas.