WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s campaign is planning to fly a blimp over swing states to get its message out — and to collect reams of data.
The blimp with Trump logos is set to fly between May and July, and will encourage Trump supporters to text the campaign, a move aimed at helping to refine the campaign’s already voluminous data on voters in key states, the campaign confirmed Sunday. The plans for the blimp were first reported by Politico.
The unconventional advertising strategy is borne in part out of the campaign’s record fundraising, which has given Trump aides the freedom to explore novel ways to reach voters. Last week Trump’s campaign unveiled plans to open 15 “Black Voices for Trump Community Centers” in urban areas to try to make inroads with the traditionally Democratic voting bloc.
The campaign is also discussing the possibility of a fundraising contest to give Trump supporters the opportunity to fly in the blimp.
The campaign has experimented with aerial advertising before, for instance, deploying airplane-towed banners the cities hosting Democratic debates.
Zeke Miller, The Associated Press
