Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Big Brass Ones...

Spirit Airline has 'em. So does the advertising firm they hired...

New Spirit Airlines Ad Makes Light of BP Oil Spill
Only days after having resolved a pilot strike, low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines unveiled today an ill-considered promotion advertising discounted fares to certain beach destinations that appears to make light of the Gulf oil spill.

The online slideshow ad, which is still up on the airline's homepage, begins with the slogan "Check Out The Oil On Our Beaches" written on the screen and then flips through slides of bikini-clad women supposedly on the beaches of Cancun, San Juan,
Atlantic City and Ft. Lauderdale.


There's even a screenshot at the link. I don't know what to make about this. On the one hand, from a human interest perspective this is in shockingly bad taste. Thousands of gallons of oil are spilling into the gulf every day, and having a devastating impact on both marine life and the local economies there. On the other hand, it's a simply brilliant piece of marketing - it's a stupid campaign by itself, but the brou-haha generated is certain to give Spirit Airlines the high-profile exposure they were looking for.

In any case, it's a pretty gutsy decision to run with this ad...

That is all.

4 comments:

Mike W. said...

Bad taste or not I like it!

Wally said...

Ay! Dey made Louisanner just like my 'ometown. Ayyyyy Reveah!!!!

Old NFO said...

Sigh... It's pretty bad when someone tries to use somebody else pain to get a leg up...

Butch Cassidy said...

Volunteers can now fly down there cheaper. Just a thought.
And I do think it is kind of funny. We need to laugh every now and then. If you can't be amused for even a second about your situation, you are just going to stew in your discontent and break down.