Professional Pilot, March 2018
AL LOOKS BACK After Learjet fun projects for Piaggio then the start of a 20 year relationship with Cessna By Al Higdon Former Beech and Learjet Communications Executive Cofounder of the Sullivan Higdon Sink Ad Agency I n the early 80s Learjet took on US representation of the Piaggio turboprop made in Italy as an addition to the Learjet line up Bib Stillwell then president of Learjet knew the airplane needed a brand name that would resonate in this country so he commissioned Sullivan Higdon Sink to look into it Our response was to throw the question open to the industry as a way of involving a broad cross section of aviation enthusiasts and build greater awareness of the Piaggio A national contest throughout general aviation drew thousands of entries for a name The one selected Avanti forward lets go seemed to fit this sleek looking turboprop quite well and is still used today After my departure from the Learjet program we were asked by Piaggio in Genoa to work with them on promotional materials for the airplane This we gladly did and produced their 1st really attractive marketing literature That was all well and good and the folks in Italy were great to work with But Piaggio did not fill the hole Id 70 PROFESSIONAL PILOT March 2018 Before immigrating to the US to head Learjet worldwide sales in 1979 B S Bib Stillwell was 4 time Australian race car champion and founded a large successful Ford agency in his native Melbourne At Learjet he later served as president for 3 years before returning to Australia in 1985 Sullivan Higdon Sink had a role in naming the Piaggio Avanti and later developed some its initial global marketing materials Cessna Vice President of Marketing Phil Michel L and Al Higdon first met as members of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association GAMA public affairs committee Michel representing Cessna Higdon for Learjet A few years later Michel spearheaded appointment of Sullivan Higdon Sink to handle all of Cessnas advertising Photo courtesy Piaggio
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