Maybe there is such a thing as a free lunch, if you include a little advertising. For a few weeks this summer on select US Airways Shuttle flights from Logan International Airport, passengers got a snack box without charge - thanks to a sponsor who paid to print a commercial message on the box. The ads were the brainchild of Ryan D. Matway, who founded Air Advertainment LLC, based in West Palm Beach, Fla., to commercialize the concept. So far, the agency has conducted one snack-box advertising campaign at a time; in July, it launched a promotion for the New York-based online luxury retailer Gilt Groupe„ a members-only shopping service. Thanks to Gilt’s ads on the boxes, passengers on the US Airways shuttle flights did not have to pay the usual $4 to $5 price. The airline distributed 100,000 free snack boxes in three weeks, it said. “Back in late 2008 is when I got this crazy idea,’’ Matway said. “Why not bring the snack back on board for free, and give the advertisers this captive audience?’’ Read more. Look around your school and athletic facilities. Any unsold inventory?
