Only expert kite flyers can currently reliably fly kites. Equivalent automation will take a long time to perfect. Doug simply lacks realistic patience for kite automation to develop within the wonderful R&D community. None of them are “idiots”.
There are also several classic kites and new designs that do in fact self-relaunch reliably. Show-kite pros these days often simply wait for their kites to self-relaunch in fickle conditions. Substituting digital automation does not add much at first, except novel compounded failure modes.
Veering back on-topic, the most versatile night-flying advertising is digital projection on a suitable kite. Projection mapping on 3D figure kites will be a fantastic spectacle. kPower is developing kite concepts along these lines for AWEfest effort. AWEfest was Wubbo’s concept for AWE’s own Flying Advertising.
Lets not forget that Eddy himself advertised with kites in the Golden Age. Meaningfully decorated kites are very ancient. As seen fit, AWES have been and will be covered with ads.