Trump in the sky? In Ocean City, politics can invade with banner planes

It all started with a pro-Trump banner. Then came the endless phone calls.

Ocean Aerial Ads is used to receiving political banner requests, especially during election seasons. But the public's response was different when the banner towed by a plane was in support of President Donald Trump.

"That's when all hell broke loose," said Chris Bunting, who helps run the family business.

Several people called the company upset about the pro-Trump banners flying over the beach in Ocean City. Bunting said if they wanted to buy an opposing banner, Ocean Aerial Ads would fly it too.

The company will fly banners with messages across the political spectrum because it's about business, not bias, Bunting said.

Most people are accustom to banners about seafood buffet deals, Wawa Hoagiefest and mini-golf spots. But politics had entered their beach sanctuary.

It's a place to get away from politics, said Brooks Trimper, an Ocean City native and operations manager at Trimper's Rides and Amusements.

While there is a right to free speech, whether through political banners or otherwise, Trimper said he thinks these ads might actually do more harm than help.

"It might be somewhat counterproductive because when you're sitting on the beach and reading that stuff, you're kind of annoyed that those people are bringing those things up," he said.

Politicians have used the boardwalk to shake hands and hand out literature but few step onto the sand. While some visitors on the Ocean City Boardwalk were indifferent about politics at the beach, others said seeing political banners would bother them.

John and Marie Luke, who often daytrip to Ocean City from Baltimore, said they come to the beach to get away from politics.

"You see enough politics on TV," Marie said. "We don't need to see that here. This is a place for family."

These intense reactions to political statements, particularly in the context of Donald Trump, happen because, nowadays, people are wrapped up in their political identities, said David Redlawsk, chair of the political science and international relations department at the University of Delaware.

It's hard for Trump supporters to even-handedly consider anti-Trump messages, and the same is true for people on the opposite end of the political spectrum, said Redlawsk, who specializes in political psychology.

"A lot of this is just tied up in that sense of — what we're calling it these days — political tribalism," Redlawsk said.

It's also why there was such a response on social media when the president tweeted a photo of boats flying Trump 2020 flags near the Harbor Island Marina, where the White Marlin Open takes place each year.

More:Trump tweets about Ocean City boats with his flags

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At first when Ocean Aerial Ads flew the Trump banners this spring, no one called to complain, Bunting said. But then the donor realized there had been a misspelled word on one of the banners so Ocean Aerial Ads offered to fly it again for free the following Monday.

After that second run, the complaints started to come in.

Ultimately, Ocean Aerial Ads decided not to fly any more political banners for the rest of the election season due to the backlash. Bunting said his father, Bob, discussed the issue with Mayor Rick Meehan, who agreed with the decision.

Rumors were started, though, that the mayor had forced Ocean Aerial Ads to stop flying pro-Trump banners, Bunting said. But that's not true; it was the company's decision to stop flying all political banners.

"So then we had the Trump supporters calling us, saying 'How can you be so weak to do this?' " Bunting said.

Personal banners can cost between $400 and $500 and the plane will make the trip three times. Depending on where the buyer wants to advertise, the plane could fly from Ocean City's Inlet to Fenwick Island or Ocean City to Rehoboth Beach.

Political banners are just a small portion of the requests Ocean Aerial Ads receives. The company can fly about 15 or 20 banners on weekdays and double that number on weekends. This summer it has been averaging two or three wedding proposals a week, along with regular business advertising.

Not just Trump

Trump banners weren't the only advertisements grabbing tourists' attention in Ocean City. Ocean Aerial Ads also flew banners addressing the offshore wind energy project.

"Both of them just happened to come to us at the same time in the spring," Bunting said. "It's not like we had to even play one against the other."

Offshore wind has been a hot topic in Ocean City for a couple years now after two companies, U.S. Wind and Deepwater Wind, proposed projects off the shores of Maryland and Delaware. Ocean City's Town Council has been opposed to the wind projects as they now stand because they say the turbines will be visible along the horizon.

The opposing banner had "SaveOurBeachView.com" written across it with a photo of what the offshore wind turbines would look like on Ocean City's horizon. This banner was funded through the Caesar Rodney Institute, a Delaware-based 501(c)(3) education and research organization.

Dave Stevenson, director of the Center for Energy Competitiveness for CRI, said the organization wanted to fly a banner to help spread Save Our Beach View's message and educate the public about offshore wind.

"People don’t know what’s going on," Stevenson said. "It’s kind of a shame. Most folks don’t pay attention to it."

The banner was successful in the short-term at least because thousands of people have visited the group's website, Stevenson said. It's too early to tell the long-term effects, though, he added.

At the same time Save Our Beach View's banner flew across Ocean City, another banner in support of offshore wind was also in the air. It read: "Do you see the wind turbines? Neither can we."

People indifferent to either side of a debate most likely won't have a problem ignoring the banners altogether, no matter the political affiliation, Redlawsk said.

It's hard to determine which ads are effective, but they certainly have some influence over the public, Redlawsk said. Political ads are often how people receive information about candidates, campaigns and issues, he said.

No matter how people feel about advertisements, whether they are political, the beach will remain a hot spot for them due to the large crowds, Redlawsk said.

"Ultimately, advertising in any form is about getting the word out about your candidate or issue," Redlawsk said. "Some people reject it, some people accept it, but you have to go where the people are."