Spirit’s Baldanza: Oil ad meant to combat “media confusion”

I‘ve lost count of the emails I’ve gotten about Spirit Airlines controversial new ad campaign, which urges travelers to “Check Out The Oil On Our Beaches” — an obvious reference to the tragic BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

I didn’t want to do a “me too” post after every other blog picked up on this (including our friends at Consumerist and Talking Points).

But then I wondered: What were they thinking when they greenlighted that campaign?

There’s no point in rehashing the content of the ad, which has been called everything from insensitive to sexist. I should say that the offer is consistent with past Spirit specials, most of which are too risque to publish on this site.

Late Tuesday, Spirit offered the following clarification:

It is unfortunate that some have misunderstood our intention with today’s beach promotion. We are merely addressing the false perception that we have oil on our beaches, and we are encouraging customers to support Florida and our other beach destinations by continuing to travel to these vacation hot spots.

I emailed Ben Baldanza, Spirit’s chief executive, to see if there was anything he could add. Here’s what he had to say:

We care greatly about our environment and are concerned about the terrible tragedy of this crisis. Yet due to media confusion, it is not clear to many where the oil damage has reached the US shores.

Our ad was simply intended to let people know that South Florida, South Carolina, the Jersey Shore, and the Caribbean (all areas we serve) have beautiful beaches that are not impacted by the BP disaster.

We’ve noted that several other ads have used a similar tactic, including one by the city of Destin, Florida.

I couldn’t find the Destin ad, but note that the city has a page on its site dedicated to the oil spill. Alas, there are no bikini-clad women on it.

Do you think Spirit went too far in its newest campaign? Or is this a legitimate attempt to lure customers back after a devastating strike?

Do Baldanza’s reasons for running this special — to combat media confusion — seem legit to you?

(Photo: arbyreed/Flickr Creative Commons)

  • Jonathan

    Given their ludicrous customer policy a couple of months ago regarding carry-ons and now the way they have handled this pilot strike, the second I see a Spirit Air ad, I change the channel/turn the page/whatever. Personally, I could care less whether they air the ad or not, but it seems incredibly short-sighted to run an ad that could so easily be construed as insensitive, especially when the company being advertised already has a reputation by consumers as being insensitive!

  • MeanMeosh

    Is the ad in poor taste? Perhaps, but then again, this is Spirit. That’s kind of their M.O. They’ve proven time and time again that they’ll spin just about anything to get publicity for themselves, positive or otherwise (and guess what, it worked). Whether that’s a good thing or bad thing depends on your point of view, I guess.

  • Mary Graham

    They simply have a very “off” advertising team which the chief executive supports. Enough said considering this airline.

  • larry

    Spirit knows how to get FREE publicity. They thrive on the buzz they create. This article confirms it.

  • http://www.kurttfrancis.blogspot.com Mekhong Kurt

    Yes, Mr. Elliott. it’s offensive. It might have been a bit less so had they focused laser-sharp on destinations they serve that are in areas people might think maybe are affected, and focused on those destinations only. Even then, it would be offensive — even if they dropped the pictures of the “suntan lotion.” Good grief — on those bottles they not only used the colors of BP’s corporate logo, but even used them in the same *proportion* — green the most, white the least, with yellow in between! Am I impressed? NOT.

  • Mike

    I haven’t seen the ads where I am, but given the reference to oil on beaches, i am guessing that they are showing a lot of tanned and good looking girls and guys.

    i think that marketing is brilliant and is sure to get people watching the commercial. the problem it seems lately is that people are too easily offended by anyone and everyone over something that is trivial at best. its amazing how people get offended at comedy routines. its comedy… it was meantto be rude, dirty, and offenseive. that is what makes certain types so funny. Guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m offended that people are offended.

  • http://www.sanibel-rentals.net Sylvia

    I think this is a good example of ad people being totally out of touch. Having vacation rental properties on Sanibel Island and supporting the environmental movements world over, I am beyond distressed with this spill though it has only marginally effected me personally. There is no oil on Sanibel.

    That’s the message, Spirit, there is no oil. Playing cute with semantics is neither necessary nor appropriate…and why are all your oiled up beach goers gals in bikinis.

    Once again, Spirit, you are way off course!

  • riroon

    I have no problem with the ad. I love the sense of humor Spirit displays in their ads.

    Again, no problem with the ad. The airline itself? Not so much.

    (FWIW, I live in Louisiana near the Gulf and know people DIRECTLY affected by the spill. Sometimes you need a sense of gallow’s humor to get through things.)