Hoping more ads add up

Soon, passengers at Logan International Airport could be getting the time from clocks sponsored by Rolex. They might sip from water fountains emblazoned with the Aquafina brand name. Or they might sit on benches ''brought to you by Ikea."

The Massachusetts Port Authority plans to sell sponsorship rights to just about any blank space at Logan, one of several initiatives being taken as Massport becomes more aggressive about generating revenue from sources other than gate fees at its airports, and tolls on the Tobin Bridge.

Almost anything is possible, from putting a company's logo on pedestrian bridges between airport garages and terminals, to sponsorship of the airport's emergency defibrillators, to plastering a company's logo on the side of one of Logan's air-traffic control towers for all arriving and departing passengers to see. Massport also will let marketers pay to hand out product samples in its baggage claims and lobbies, where large numbers of passengers congregate. Talks are already underway with several companies with an eye toward getting the first deals in place before delegates to the Democratic National Convention arrive in July.

''When they arrive at Logan, they might get a sample of a nonalcoholic beverage to try while they're waiting in the baggage claim," said Jack Hemphill, business general manager for Massport's aviation division.

Selling advertising space is not new to Massport. The agency has long had a contract with Clear Channel Communications Inc., which brokers the more traditional billboard-like advertising space in Logan's terminals. Last year, Massport began selling signage space on the Tobin, which, like Logan, it owns and manages. The agency pulled in $3.2 million in advertising revenue at Logan last year.

Yet selling the rights at municipal facilities like airports, whether in whole or in part, is a recent phenomenon. Several airports contacted yesterday said they had never considered such a plan.

Because nearly every major airport in the country is publicly owned, in many instances there are legal hurdles to selling naming rights.

''Anything in our airport is owned and operated by the city," said Mark Pesce, a spokesman for Philadelphia International Airport. ''We have advertising throughout the airport, but not like, 'Gate A-15 sponsored by Nike.' "

Massport's plan would let companies sponsor almost any space at Logan where a corporate logo might fit.

''It's certainly a new venture for government or municipal organizations' and I'm sure they're driven by the want for more revenues," said Andrew Rohm, an assistant professor of marketing at Northeastern University.

Airport Marketing Income Inc., a Portland, Ore., company that is running the program for Massport under a five-year contract, said it plans to sell airport sponsorship packages to companies based on certain themes, such as large events that are being hosted in Boston. The company will work on commission, getting 40 percent of the revenue from sponsorships it sells.

First up is the Democratic convention in July. With roughly 35,000 out-of-town visitors coming here, dozens of companies have expressed interest in sponsoring parts of the airport, either by paying to put up banners welcoming conventioneers or for the right to give away samples of their products, said Julio Suarez, an Airport Marketing Income vice president.

''Think of someone like Yahoo saying, 'Welcome delegates' or 'While you're in Boston, surf with Yahoo,' " Suarez said.

''As you get closer to the holidays, maybe Sony wants to sponsor a highly visible wall. Imagine Sony setting up an area where the passenger has the opportunity to try out the latest Sony games or Playstation. Think of someone like a Nike or Reebok having special messaging or a welcome tent next year during the Boston Marathon."

Companies could pay between tens of thousands to a few hundred thousand dollars for a sponsorship at Logan, depending on how intricate a deal it was and the length of time it would run, Suarez said. But most of that money won't end up in his company's coffers.

Massport will receive 60 percent of the gross revenue from sponsorships sold under its contract with Airport Marketing Income.

Eric Kraus, a spokesman for Gilette Co., said the Boston shaving giant would consider that a good opportunity.

''It's a very interesting branding opportunity, given the number of people who travel in and out of that airport on a daily basis," he said. ''The biggest issue will be how companies take advantage of the branding opportunity to reach those consumers, given that people are hurrying to make flights and go through security, as well as competing with other advertising that already exists."

The authority has rolled out several programs to generate more cash over the past year, including the advertising deal on the Tobin Bridge and a recent plan to open a Dunkin' Donuts drive-through location inside its Central Parking garage.

Hemphill said the authority is also in talks with several potential sponsors for a deal to renovate the existing Kidport children's lounge in Terminal C and to build three new Kidports in other Logan terminals. In exchange for putting up as much as $2 million for the Kidports, a company would get its name on them.

''We're trying to explore all avenues to grow our revenue at the airport," he said. If we have a company that spends $2 million to come in an put in a new Kidport, everybody wins."

But Rohm said Massport runs the risk of alienating travelers who might already be fed up with advertising clutter.

''The public could view it as selling out or going too commercial," he said.

Keith Reed can be reached at reed@globe.com.