Why a marketing blimp beats every sign on the street
A sign is seen by people who are already looking at your building. A blimp is seen by people a mile away who were not thinking about you at all. That is the whole trick, and it has worked for home builders, car dealers and store owners since 1979.
- 120 feet up. Above the trees, above the power lines, above the competition. Visible from the freeway.
- Ten minutes to fly. One person, a helium tank, a tether. Fold it flat when you are done and fly it again next weekend.
- Pays for itself fast. A 13 ft blimp with lettering is $1,512. One extra car sale or one model-home walk-in covers it.
- Polyurethane, not PVC. Holds helium for a week, shrugs off sun and cold, still flying after 14 years for some owners.
Pick a size and watch the price change
Slide to compare each blimp, sphere and hot-air shape against a 6 ft person. Then send that size straight into the quote builder.
- Blank price
- $975
- With lettering
- $1,512
- Print area
- 30 × 60 in
- Helium
- 170 cu ft
- Net lift
- 3 lb
Lettering fits up to 13 letters per side. Helium price is about $1.50 per cubic foot from a local welding-gas supplier.
Where marketing blimps earn their keep
Anywhere people drive past and need a reason to turn in.
Home builders
One California operator flies 100+ of these blimps every weekend over model homes. NEW HOMES at 120 feet pulls traffic off the freeway.
Car dealerships
SALE over the lot on Saturday. Customers say the blimp is the reason they turned in. It beats a wacky waving tube every time.
Trade shows
Indoors, a 10 or 13 ft blimp above your booth is visible from the entrance. One fill lasts a full 3 day show. Exhibitors haul them inflated in a trailer between shows.
Grand openings
The cheapest way to make a new store look like an event. Fly it opening weekend, fold it flat, fly it again for every sale.
Apartments and real estate
NOW LEASING on a sphere balloon above the leasing office. Seen from the arterial road, not just the sidewalk.
Custom shapes
Cold-air gorillas, superheroes, giant t-shirts and product replicas up to 25 ft. Blower driven, no helium needed.
Factory prices, no middleman markup
Every number on this site comes from the Arizona Balloon Company price list and is checked against it. Blank blimps start at $684. Standard lettering is a separate line so you can see exactly what you are paying for.
10 ft blimp
Blank. Trade shows and small lots.
13 ft blimp, lettered
The best seller. $975 + $537 lettering.
5.5 ft sphere
Blank. The classic red ball over the lot.
How it works, start to finish
- Pick a size and message. Short and loud wins. NEW HOMES, SALE, OPEN, NOW LEASING. Up to 13 letters per side is included.
- Order by phone or email. Call 1-800-791-1445 or send the quote builder summary to [email protected]. Lettering proofs come back for your approval.
- It ships UPS Ground. From the factory in North Carolina, 2 to 5 business days to anywhere in the lower 48.
- Fill and fly. Rent a helium cylinder from any welding-gas supplier, follow the printed steps, tether at 120 feet. Top off every 3 to 7 days.
“One California operator flies more than 100 of these blimps every weekend over model homes. The builders keep paying for it because it keeps working.”Factory proof point, Arizona Balloon Company
Quick answers
How much does a marketing blimp cost?
A blank helium advertising blimp runs $684 for 10 feet up to $6,772 for 30 feet. Standard lettering is a separate charge, from $421 to $1,449 depending on size. The most popular choice, a 13 ft blimp with lettering, is $975 + $537 = $1,512. Use the quote builder on this site for an exact number.
How high does an advertising blimp fly?
Outdoors, 120 feet above the ground. That is on purpose: the FAA only gets involved above 150 feet. Indoors at a trade show, any ceiling of 15 feet or more works.
How much helium does a blimp need and what does it cost?
A 13 ft blimp holds 170 cubic feet of helium. A 200 cu ft cylinder from a local welding-gas supplier is about $300, so a first fill is roughly $255. Loss is about 1% per day, so a top-off every 3 to 7 days keeps it tight.
Can I inflate it myself?
Yes. The first inflation takes a little reading. After that it is about 10 minutes for one person. There is a video walkthrough on the factory site and printed instructions in the box.