Absolutely nothing. This blog is being written 2 cups of coffee deep, from seat 18C and while cruising at 31,000 feet somewhere over Canada as I return from a 4-day business trip in Anchorage, Alaska. Because of the unique nature of a business trip to Alaska, I felt that sharing a few things I observed, as they pertain to local advertising, would make for a somewhat intriguing blog. Here it goes:

*Anyone who thinks New York is the most expensive place in the country has not left the lower 48. Hawaii and Alaska take the cake. Evidence: Subway Sandwich Shops in Alaska do not have $5 foot longs. It’s actually $5 six inchers. However, local advertising space within Anchorage city limits is somewhat affordable and leads me to believe that it may be Alaska’s best kept bargain-buy relative to other cities of similar population.

*Cosmetic and dental implant dentistry marketing does not exist in Anchorage. Yet, 100% of the people I met with are becoming more and more receptive to the idea. This leads me to believe that the first ones to implement such external dental marketing (you know who you are) will capture the benefits of being a pioneer, or in the words of Wasilla’s hometown hero, Ms. Palin, the benefits of ‘going rouge’.

*Alaskan Amber is NOT the only good beer brewed in Alaska. Alaska has more unheard of micro breweries than any other state I have ever visited (Colorado excluded), yet not a single one of them promotes their brand or distributes out of the state of Alaska. Imagine the first one that does. Oh wait, one already did… Alaskan Brewing Company. It’s quite amazing that more don’t, considering they are some of the finest beers I have ever consumed (at $7/pint).

*225 moose have been hit by cars since January 1 on the major highway between Anchorage and Fairbanks. This has no correlation to advertising but more of an interesting fact and a number that I found to be quite alarming considering the sheer size of a Moose (I saw three of them near downtown).

*Due to the expansive nature of the Last Frontier, people will travel great distances for services, especially medical and dental. Add some relatively low cost, yet strategic local advertising to this notion and all of a sudden, a visionary clinician has the ability to capture a tremendous audience from a 500+ mile radius. This is a huge advantage considering clinicians in Manhattan have a difficult time drawing patients from a radius greater than 10 city blocks.

All-in-all, Alaska is an amazing place. The vast differences in business landscape that exist present exciting challenges and great opportunity across all industries. With Balihoo being a company that is setting forth on a mission to revolutionize local marketing, I am excited that we can apply that mission to the great state of Alaska. Time for another cup of coffee.