Digitally-Recreated Rodney Dangerfield Is The Effort's Spokesman

ANN April 1st Special Edition

After a year in which the business aviation community has been under continuous assault by the Obama Administration, the NBAA on April 1st announced its new "No Respect" campaign to promote biz-av.

The organization has partnered with AEA and the estate of Rodney Dangerfield to digitally re-create the comedian as the spokesman for the campaign. "Who better to carry the message that 'we get no respect, no respect at all," said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen (pictured). "I can't think of anybody better suited to make that point." He said that with all of the innovation in the avionics field, AEA will easily be able to produce the digitally-created images to bring the campaign home. "Of course we can," said AEA president Paula Derks. "It's our job ... it's what we do."

Bolen said that while the "No Plane, No Gain" campaign featuring prominent businessmen such as Warren Buffett and Arnold Palmer had been effective, something was needed to bring the message to a broader audience. "Dangerfield appeals to everybody," he said. "There's not a person I can name who hasn't felt like they get no respect at some point in their lives. This could be our most effective advocacy campaign ever."

The Dangerfield estate released a statement strongly supporting using the image of the comedian to deliver the message. "We're very pleased that the NBAA approached us on this issue," a spokesman said. "We know the message resonates across all walks of life, and given what this very productive industry has been through, we saw it as the perfect fit."

NBAA plans to roll out the "No Respect" campaign at its annual meeting and convention in Orlando, FL, in October.

FMI: www.nbaa.org