Un-natural cloud formations?

[Wells]

As I was driving home from work yesterday, I caught part of a news item on NPR about a new company (I believe called it's called "Flogos") that has created a method to generate clouds in the shape of corporate logos.
This is not sky writing but real water vapor clouds. The report stated that WDW is one of their first customers. So does this mean that we will soon be seeing real Mickey, Donald and Goofy shapes clouds over central Florida, like the YOMD commercials of last year?
Did anyone else hear anything on this?

[DisnIse]

No, I haven't heard this.... but wasn't that a storyline on the Underdog cartoons?

Definitely strange.

[GrumpyFan]

Interesting! I wonder what their plans are and how soo we might be seeing it. They could choose to keep this one quiet and just start doing it so people would think that it's just part of the magic.

[GrumpyFan]

Found the following news item:


- From timesdaily.com -
By Bernie Delinski,
Staff Writer
The latest product from a Lexington-based industry has company owner Francisco Guerra walking around with his head in the clouds.

The product is called Flogos, which combines the words flying and "logos," and that's a good description of the product.

A combination of a little helium and a lot of air produces a substance that looks and floats like a cloud. The product can be 24, 36 or 48 inches long.

The best part is, the substance can be molded into any form. That gave Snow Masters owner Guerra and fellow company inventor Brian Glover the idea to form them into company logos.

One looks like the famous Disney logo of Mickey Mouse's head. Another is an Atlanta Braves tomahawk. There's also a peace sign, as well as countless other shapes. Whatever shape a company or organization wants, the company can make a mold for it.

"They will fly for miles," Guerra said. "They are durable so they last a while.

"The secret is our formulation and equipment. We're able to keep the cloud together for a long time."

He said the Flogo clouds can hover at various heights, depending on the amount of helium and oxygen mixed into the formula. "As a norm, they'll fly about 300 to 500 feet high," Guerra said. They can sail much higher or lower if needed, he said.

They travel at a slow pace for 20 to 30 miles, at altitudes up to 20,000 feet, he said.

The logos have that soft, puffy look of a cloud, but stay cohesive even if they bounce off a building. Workers at Snow Masters say motorists in the area literally have stopped and gotten out of their vehicles to take a closer look when they see a floating Flogo that the company is testing from its plant on Lauderdale 71.

"In the future, we will be able to color them," Guerra said. "For now, we like them only in white, because that's what a cloud looks like."

He said the product eventually evaporates, so it is environmentally safe.

Disney and Universal Studios are among theme parks that already have deals with the company for the products, Guerra said.

Snow Masters rents the product for $2,500 a day, he said.

Major League Baseball franchises and various Fortune 500 companies also are interested. Guerra said presidential campaign representatives also have contacted him.

Snow Masters will contract with distributors across the nation who will have the equipment for the product.

"We're just now launching," he said. "We'll start doing rentals in the next 30 days."

Snow Masters' original product is artificial snow. For years, the company has contracted with national theme parks for the artificial white stuff and has provided effects in motion pictures and for various events.

The company also has a product that emits puffs of smoke rings for an eerie effect.

Guerra said a single Flogo can be pumped out every few seconds, so it's possible to have a long trail of them that would blow about, making them ideal advertising. The air is free game, so companies could promote a product or simply display their logo anywhere desired.

"It's a new form of advertising that's never been used before," he said. "The sky literally is the limit."

[Wells]

Ahhh....
So these are not real clouds, just helium filled bubble stuff. But how cool is that!:D

[biodtl]

I have seen them on their website - they have video of them being released. They are very cool. Just google Flogos and you'll find it.

[mook3y]

I hope they have them in place by September! They look groovy!

[CrazyStitch]

Interesting...

Maybe something like this could replace launching helium balloons at events, and you wouldn't have to worry about what happens to them after they "pop".

[BrerGnat]

Did that say they are 24, 36, or 48 INCHES?

How do you see that when it's 20,000 feet in the air???

Did they mean FEET?

[mook3y]

Did that say they are 24, 36, or 48 INCHES?

How do you see that when it's 20,000 feet in the air???

Did they mean FEET?

no, it is inches.

Defiantely more effective at 300 feet over 20,000 feet.

But picture this: 6 machines each putting out one set of mickey shaped clouds very 15 seconds around main street.

or Mc Donalds "M" arches in NYC.

I think i read on their site that they are in development of a machine that does up to 6 ft "clouds".

[GrumpyFan]

Their web-site also said they do custom sizes, but I'm not sure what the limit is. At standard sizes, I would imagine the visibility of them is only good for up to about 1500 feet.

There are several Youtube videos some with Mickey heads, but they're all around 24inches. They appear to be recognizable for about 10-20 seconds.

[Jasper]

no, it is inches.

Defiantely more effective at 300 feet over 20,000 feet.

But picture this: 6 machines each putting out one set of mickey shaped clouds very 15 seconds around main street.

or Mc Donalds "M" arches in NYC.

I think i read on their site that they are in development of a machine that does up to 6 ft "clouds".

I had exactly the same concerns when I read the size and I agree that this is definitely something that is better suited for lower rather than higher altitudes. Since it appears to be safe to be around I would also think it could be VERY effective inside of a roofed stadium. I have not gone to their website yet, but based on the descriptions given here I would also go out on a limb here and hazard a guess that because of their "fluffy" nature that a more simple logo with straight lines or at least not a lot of embellishment would work better than one with lots of curlicues and the like.

[GrumpyFan]

According to another news article I found on bakersfield.com, dated May 7, 2008, they stated the following:



The Walt Disney Co. will use one of the machines next month to send clouds shaped like Mickey Mouse heads into the air at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., Guerra said.

Guerra's company is working on a version that will spit out 6-foot clouds.


I'll be there the 8th thru the 14th with my eyes and camera ready.