RISMEDIA, March 31, 2008-Universal Media, parent of Elite Traveler, the worldwide private jet lifestyle magazine, has just acquired Luxus Networks, the world’s largest provider of private jet terminal signage for an undisclosed amount. Luxus Networks maintains a presence in more than 100 private jet terminals across the U.S.
“We are thrilled to be able to offer the luxury real estate industry the ultimate global/local combination buy for reaching the super-rich consumer who, despite the declining economy, continues to purchase multi-million dollar residences in multiple locations around the world,” says Douglas Gollan, Universal Media president. Luxus Networks enables luxury marketers to reach these same super-rich consumers by zeroing in on specific private jet terminal markets such as Aspen, New York, or Los Angeles.
As travelers enter the private jet terminals, Luxus’ 40-inch by 60-inch backlit signage is front and center. “The signs are extremely high-quality and impossible to miss,” says Luxus president and chief operating officer Michael Rix.
“Luxus Networks plays an ongoing loop of sponsored luxury programming on high-quality flat screen televisions. Unlike any other marketing opportunity in the world, we enable luxury brands to wrap themselves around these extremely desirable consumers in a fairly exclusive opportunity,” said Rix. Real estate brokers can present slide shows of houses for sale and even distribute their collateral in their local terminal.
In the Elite Traveler/Prince & Associates Market Volatility Survey, 17% of super-rich individuals are primary decision-makers in commercial real estate activity and 58% are always interested in acquiring new real estate. According to Gollan, “Today’s super rich are global nomads who have multiple homes located throughout the world, which they fly to aboard their private jets.”
For the real estate industry, local, national, and international interactive marketing opportunities provide a new method of marketing to the growing private jet community. For real estate agents, it is possible to broadcast 360-degree tours of local properties, or loops of several properties both in the immediate area, as well as in surrounding areas covered by the agent.
The private jet industry is a growing player in connecting marketers of high-end goods such as vacation homes and other luxury properties directly with the most valuable consumers – the ones whose spending habits are not affected by the economy. Elite Traveler magazine reports a 20.9% growth in ad pages in 2007, going from 496 to 600 pages, excluding inserts, for the six regular bi-monthly issues. Real estate advertisers include Luxury Portfolio, Four Season Residences, Guiltinan Realty and more.