EyeInTheSky
Veteran
Discount Air Carrier
May Bump Bud Light
Over Air-Safety Joke
AirTran Airways says it may stop serving Anheuser-Busch Cos. products on its flights to protest a radio ad for Bud Light that ridicules discount airlines and their pilots.
The ad, part of the "Real Men of Genius" campaign created by DDB Chicago, is a comic tribute to discount-airline pilots, commending them for their "minimal experience" and for putting "the fly in fly-by-night." It also questions the safety of low-fare carriers: "Sure we're concerned for our lives," the announcer says -- "just not as concerned as saving nine bucks on a round-trip to Fort Myers."
Anheuser-Busch says it pulled the ad after one airing in January, but it has remained posted on an ad-industry Web site and recently made the rounds online among some pilot groups and airlines. It also has continued playing on Anheuser-Busch's phone system: When AirTran Airways Director of Marketing Tad Hutcheson called to complain Wednesday, he listened to the offending ad while on hold.
ANHEUSER ADVERTISING
AirTran Chairman and Chief Executive Joe Leonard sent a letter to Anheuser-Busch CEO Patrick Stokes on Thursday demanding an apology. "You may deem the commercial to be satirical, but I find it highly offensive," Mr. Leonard wrote. Mr. Hutcheson said the airline is considering dropping Budweiser from its flights.
Other airlines said they, too, were outraged. "Totally tasteless," said Southwest Airlines spokesman Ed Stewart. "To joke about safety is awful. It's out of bounds."
Anheuser-Busch, in a statement, offered an apology. "This campaign was meant to poke fun at slices of everyday life, but this execution clearly crossed the line and is in poor taste," said Michael J. Owens, vice president of sales and marketing.
AirTran, which is the former ValuJet Airlines, and other discount flyers have long fought perceptions that low-price fares mean less safety. Previous generations of discount carriers flew aging planes, offered bare-bones service and suffered a lack of confidence after ValuJet Flight 592 caught fire and crashed in the Florida Everglades in 1996, killing 110 on board. But discounters today opt for new airplanes and many provide upscale amenities.
The current generation of discount carriers has had a strong safety record: Southwest has flown for more than 30 years without a fatality. And discounters today can hire experienced pilots from the U.S. military and legacy carriers that have furloughed hundreds of pilots.
Bud Light's "Real Men of Genius" campaign won the Grand Prix for Radio at the International Advertising Festival in Cannes, France, in June. The prize recognized 11 spots, including the 60-second "Mr. Discount Airline Pilot Guy."
Most of the ad campaign's targets aren't corporate. Ads pay homage to "Mr. Basketball Court Sweat Wiper Upper," "Mr. Bathroom Stall Dirty Joke Writer," and "Mr. Hot Stock Tip Giver Outer." Last year, a TV spot in the series, "Mr. Really Bad Toupee Wearer," drew complaints from the American Hair Loss Council. Anheuser-Busch refused to pull it.
While airline rivals fumed, discounter JetBlue Airways did find some humor in the ad: It said the spot couldn't be aimed at its nonstop flights: "We think there is a difference between flying in
May Bump Bud Light
Over Air-Safety Joke
AirTran Airways says it may stop serving Anheuser-Busch Cos. products on its flights to protest a radio ad for Bud Light that ridicules discount airlines and their pilots.
The ad, part of the "Real Men of Genius" campaign created by DDB Chicago, is a comic tribute to discount-airline pilots, commending them for their "minimal experience" and for putting "the fly in fly-by-night." It also questions the safety of low-fare carriers: "Sure we're concerned for our lives," the announcer says -- "just not as concerned as saving nine bucks on a round-trip to Fort Myers."
Anheuser-Busch says it pulled the ad after one airing in January, but it has remained posted on an ad-industry Web site and recently made the rounds online among some pilot groups and airlines. It also has continued playing on Anheuser-Busch's phone system: When AirTran Airways Director of Marketing Tad Hutcheson called to complain Wednesday, he listened to the offending ad while on hold.
ANHEUSER ADVERTISING
AirTran Chairman and Chief Executive Joe Leonard sent a letter to Anheuser-Busch CEO Patrick Stokes on Thursday demanding an apology. "You may deem the commercial to be satirical, but I find it highly offensive," Mr. Leonard wrote. Mr. Hutcheson said the airline is considering dropping Budweiser from its flights.
Other airlines said they, too, were outraged. "Totally tasteless," said Southwest Airlines spokesman Ed Stewart. "To joke about safety is awful. It's out of bounds."
Anheuser-Busch, in a statement, offered an apology. "This campaign was meant to poke fun at slices of everyday life, but this execution clearly crossed the line and is in poor taste," said Michael J. Owens, vice president of sales and marketing.
AirTran, which is the former ValuJet Airlines, and other discount flyers have long fought perceptions that low-price fares mean less safety. Previous generations of discount carriers flew aging planes, offered bare-bones service and suffered a lack of confidence after ValuJet Flight 592 caught fire and crashed in the Florida Everglades in 1996, killing 110 on board. But discounters today opt for new airplanes and many provide upscale amenities.
The current generation of discount carriers has had a strong safety record: Southwest has flown for more than 30 years without a fatality. And discounters today can hire experienced pilots from the U.S. military and legacy carriers that have furloughed hundreds of pilots.
Bud Light's "Real Men of Genius" campaign won the Grand Prix for Radio at the International Advertising Festival in Cannes, France, in June. The prize recognized 11 spots, including the 60-second "Mr. Discount Airline Pilot Guy."
Most of the ad campaign's targets aren't corporate. Ads pay homage to "Mr. Basketball Court Sweat Wiper Upper," "Mr. Bathroom Stall Dirty Joke Writer," and "Mr. Hot Stock Tip Giver Outer." Last year, a TV spot in the series, "Mr. Really Bad Toupee Wearer," drew complaints from the American Hair Loss Council. Anheuser-Busch refused to pull it.
While airline rivals fumed, discounter JetBlue Airways did find some humor in the ad: It said the spot couldn't be aimed at its nonstop flights: "We think there is a difference between flying in
