Stella Artois in the sky

This summer, Londoners will see something a little bit different in the skies above their heads. From July 10, a Stella Artois airship will be taking flight across the city for six weeks of flights. There has never been such a commercial airship service in the UK, but they do operate in Germany and Japan.

Andreas Hilger, marketing director of InBev UK, said, “The unique nature of this sponsorship will create an enormous amount of consumer interest and media ‘noise’ around Stella Artois over the summer months, the prime time for lager sales.”

There will only be 1500 tickets available for the 75-metre long airship, and journeys, which begin at Upminster airfield in north east London, taking in Tower Bridge and Westminster, will last for 30, 45 or 60 minutes.

Hilger added, “This initiative reinforces the brand’s ‘Pass on Something Good’ ad campaign by providing Londoners and tourists with the opportunity to enjoy a pioneering experience and will enhance their relationship with Stella Artois in the long-term.”

The airship can carry 12 passengers, a pilot and one crew member at a time, but tickets for this unique experience won’t be cheap, with prices for flights ranging from £180 for the 30-minute trip to £295 for the 45-minute route and £350 for the hour-long flight, fitting in with Stella’s "worth paying more for" message.

Alexis Hercules 11/06/08