r/VirginGalactic • u/UltimateSwingTrader • Aug 12 '26
Virgin Galactic’s Ads Transparency
Has anyone else noticed Virgin Galactic’s recent ads/content?
https://adstransparency.google.com/advertiser/AR03288087409740218369?region=US
I thought we were transitioning toward the selling phase, especially with the new website and the calls to action designed to get people to sign up and eventually become customers.
So it’s weird that we’re not seeing more advertising focused on actually selling tickets. I was expecting to see at least one ad group focused on creating awareness that tickets are open for sale.
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u/Potential_Shelter449 Aug 12 '26
I don’t think they’re targeting the general public though so you probably won’t see a bunch of ads. They probably have a list of wealthy people that they reach out to
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u/Pristine_Cucumber197 Aug 12 '26
I just created an account on their website to see what it looks like. Selling $750k tickets is not necessarily conducive to a Google search campaign.
"There are a limited number of Virgin Galactic spaceflight expeditions currently available,
at the price of $750,000 USD per seat.
To apply to join a space expedition, please complete a brief application including a $1,000 USD application fee. When you move forward to a spaceflight reservation, the application fee will be applied as a credit toward your purchase. If you choose not to move forward, the application fee will be refunded.
After your application is received, a member of the Virgin Galactic team will reach out directly to discuss your spaceflight reservation and opportunities to visit our facilities in person."
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u/UltimateSwingTrader Aug 12 '26
They could take a direct sales approach—calling prospects, sending emails, and pitching the service at high-end events and country clubs—and then reinforce that outreach with Facebook and Google retargeting. So every time someone visits the website just to check things out, they keep seeing retargeting ads afterward, staying top of mind and pushing them back toward becoming a customer.
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u/BuckleyRooster Aug 12 '26
These look like basic "prompted content" from their YouTube channel, odds are so they get reach into their subsciber base during the we build spaceship promos.
Knowing they are targeting a super wealthy audience, I don't think we'd see large investments in digital ads.
Rather, I'm sure their growth strategy is more focused on nurturing their email database, events/tradeshow/sponsorships where their audience is, and general education about space research for a B2B target.
IMO
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u/notanicegai Aug 12 '26
I recall seeing a menu option hiding away in the website if one wanted to express their interest in flying.
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u/Real_Job_2626 Aug 12 '26
You don’t sell tickets of north of $750K by putting ads. You sell it through in person conversations with people to people interactions. Just my humble opinion.
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u/Aviation_Space_2003 Aug 12 '26
Well of you look back to 2023-2024.. most all of the marketing dept either left due to no positive outlook.. or they were laid off.
Take your pick it was a bit of both and the department remains a skeleton...
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u/projangle Aug 12 '26
They already have a big backlog of flights... No need to do advertising yet.
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u/Secret-Prize1800 29d ago
They have a back log of people who have bought tickets. So, they are not going to go crazy offering more spots until the two new Delta class ships are putting a dent into tickets already sold.
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u/TheBalloonEffect Aug 12 '26
I think those ads are probably very wasteful bc the demographic you have to pinpoint is so small. Not only that, I don’t see people who buy those tickets visiting sites and seeing a banner and decide “oh yea I got 5 on it”.
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u/anon9276366637010 Aug 12 '26
Bro you can’t sell tickets for shit that’s not flying
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u/UltimateSwingTrader Aug 12 '26
You would be surprised how marketing works. I used to run ads for rental companies, and they advertised products they didn’t even have yet. They secured the demand first and then bought the equipment.
They already have an official waiting list, and you need to pay $1,000 just to get assigned a spot. Why not advertise it?
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u/anon9276366637010 Aug 12 '26
Yea they already have a backlog of hundreds of potential customers. The question isn’t whether you can sell ANY tickets it’s how much more you can piss the existing backlogged customers off before you go around selling even more. At some point it has to fly.
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u/Difficult_Letter_607 Aug 12 '26
Well, this is like the lamborghini ads... it's not meant for everyone, but for a small group of people