On my last flight out of Vienna coming back to Frankfurt, I noticed the field of a smart farmer. I don’t know if they do that between seasons or on a permanent basis, but look at the crops on the picture below. You can clearly read a slogan – “Damit Ihr Vermögen wächst” – and a company name, Gutmann private bankers. For non-German speaking readers, the slogan means “So that your wealth grows”.
The add is very strategically placed. Crosschecking at FlightRadar24 data with the photograph’s timestamp (15h07 local time) gave me a first idea of the location. The aircraft being in a turn at the moment the picture was taken help to pinpoint it even more.
By taking a closer look, the very field where the ad is can be seen but apparently the ad-shaped crops were not there when the satellite picture was taken.
Think for a moment about the art of finding opportunity… This field is placed at a perfect place, just on the right of the departure route, in a turn, shortly after take-off, at a moment where passengers are very likely to look down. The field must also have the right shape and some technology is required to get the shape right and sharp, so well done farmers and bankers!
This is example is however not a unique thing. Check this picture close to Zurich airport’s finals to runways 14 and 16. Can you spot it?
Take a closer loot to the north-east of Niederglatt, on the left-hand side… and you’ll find a Victorino Swiss Army Knife, actually used as a cork-screw! The logo of syngenta is also visible in the field to the east.
Those picture are from google maps and therefore are orientated with north up and this is why to orientation feels strange. But once seated in an aircraft on short final for runway 14, they are perfectly orientated, visible and really readable. This spot has been used for at least 20 years now so there is likely a good business model behind it for the farmers. The level of details of the knife is quite impressive too and some serious GPS tech is likely behind it.
The story of aerial ads and messages goes better, though… Enter Mark Rubin, a photographer who was bored, on a random day back in 1978. He grabbed some white paint, climbed on the roof of his studio and did paint a giant sign. Because he was doing it out of boredom, there was no advertisement into it, but just a simple “Welcome to Cleavland” sign on the roof, with the right orientation for being seen by passengers on short final. The sign is still maintained and visible to this day…
This sign is known worldwide and some people travel there just to see it. Why is that? It is nothing really special, right? Well, the trick played by Mark Rubin is just brilliant because of the location of this building, just on short final to runway 19… at… wait for it… Milwaukee airport! How brilliant is this? Can you imagine the number of surprised and puzzled passengers wondering where they were?
Check if by yourself, looking for 2893 S Delaware Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207, United States in your favourite mapping website.
Do you know of similar signs and crops? Let us know in comments and make sure to leave coordinates or links!
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