Redrow hot air balloon takes off for second season

Award winning developer Redrow is preparing to take its marketing campaign sky high for the second year running. The house builder’s very own hot air balloon will once again be going up, up and away at balloon fiestas, county shows and other prestigious events across the UK.

It follows a successful first full season in 2007, when the balloon completed 64 flying days, visited 24 towns from Glasgow to Port Talbot and attended 14 outdoor events with a combined audience of over four million people.

Simon Bennett, Redrow’s group marketing director, says: “The hot air balloon is a highly visible and very effective marketing tool for us when it comes to brand awareness. We’ve also been able to use it tactically to raise awareness of our local housing developments.”

During 2007, more than 100 guests and 12 TV crews flew in the Redrow hot air balloon and perhaps its most high profile TV appearance was at the start of the London Marathon, when it was seen by over two million people on BBC TV as well as the 30,000-plus participants and their supporters.

It attended balloon fiestas in Northampton, Basingstoke, Bath and Bristol, the latter being the largest outdoor event in Europe.

Exclusive rides in the Redrow hot air balloon also proved to be popular prizes in competitions and at charity fund raising events.

Redrow’s balloon was built by Shropshire-based Lindstrand Hot Air Balloons, who have created more than 4,500 hot air balloons, currently operated in 48 different countries. They are also the world’s largest manufacturer of airships and created the largest ever hot air balloon.

Redrow’s balloon holds 105,000 cubic feet (2,973m3) of hot air and its height from the basket to the top of balloon is 21 metres. It can carry a pilot plus four people. More than 850 metres of fabric have been used to create what is known as the ‘envelope’ – enough material to wrap two double decker buses!

The developer has also entered the realm of viral marketing by developing an on-line game based on the balloon. Participants are challenged to steer a virtual hot air balloon to a safe landing on one of five landing pads and hopefully win a real-life balloon ride of their own. They can then choose to share the game with up to three friends to secure extra prize winning attempts.

Look out for the real Redrow hot air balloon at events during 2008 or try the online game at Redrowhotairballoon.co.uk. For information about Redrow and its new homes go to Redrow.co.uk.