Aviation Marketing 101 At Home Depot

I have discovered the dangdest marketing plan. Though I found it at Home Depot, it is highly adaptable for aviation.

Recently my brilliant, handsome four-year-old grandchild came South from Boston for a visit. On Saturday his parents suggested we take him to Home Depot (HD) where, it seems, they put on a “project” program for kids on the first Saturday of every month. Free! (That word “free” fascinates me. I go along with the ancient Lebanese riddle — “What is sweeter than honey? The answer is “Free vinegar.”)

I had doubts, but we went. I was astounded. One section of an aisle was blocked off with “tables” made of particle board propped on buckets. The kids used additional buckets as chairs (great for them, but a bit less than perfect for old fat men).

A wooden kit — precut, pre-slotted, and predrilled — was there, plus paint, alphabetical stick-on letters and a myriad of decals was supplied to every kid. Each kid put the kit together (resisting the help of parents and grandparents) to make a little box for doodads, complete with sliding top.

Rowan finished his box, painted it, added the stick-on letters spelling his name, and added decals galore. Then he proudly took it to show to his great, great grandmother.

I was highly impressed. His parents must have taken a dozen pictures, all with the words “Home Depot” up front and highly visible.

HD reaches kids (who will grow up trained to make projects at HD), parents, (who will buy from HD and grandparents (who will email those pictures all over. (Did I send any to you, yet?)

Why don’t we copy HD? Tours of airports, FBOs, flight training, air freight ops, flight simulators, and what have you would work — complete with an inexpensive little glider.

Let’s do it!