Spirit Airlines "MILF" campaign goes awry

When the emails began coming in today to the folks at Spirit Airlines, they claimed they had no idea. No idea that is, that their fire sale which promises "Many Islands, Low Fares" deals as low as $9 for future travel dates between Fort Lauderdale and the Bahamas was using the MILF acronym.

Arbelaez said that Spirit's senior vice president of pricing is a British citizen who was unfamiliar with the MILF terminology and that the airline is not trying to offend customers.

"The most obscene thing we've noticed," Arbelaez said, "is what other carriers have charged to fly the Caribbean before Spirit's $9 fares." The airline has no intention of pulling the promotion, which runs until midnight today, he added.

Still, some observers wonder about the airline's claimed ignorance. A careful look at the Spirit's online ad shows a cluster of islands that appear to form a woman lounging in a pinup pose.

This is not the first marketing campaign by Spirit to attract attention some may consider dubious.

Prior campaigns aside, looking at the homepage of the airline which features islands in the shape of a woman with the M.I.L.F. above it, really makes me doubtful it was unintentional. Although, as Tobe says, it doesn't really matter.

Tobe Berkovitz, the dean of the Communications College at Boston University and a marketing professor, said it's really "irrelevant" if the company knew about the connection or not.

"Maybe these guys crossed the line, but what most people are going to think is, 'Cheap flights, warm islands, count me in,'" Berkovitz said. "Maybe the thought police won't buy tickets, but the target audience will."

Berkovitz said that it's a great example of a marketing campaign that will generate buzz as the "hipster" demographic takes notice and influences the "mainstream."

"The young, the hip, they get it and then they tell the mainstream media, 'Yo dudes, this is a hot slogan,'" Berkovitz said. "It's the media food chain here."

I love when I can quote my college professors. ;)
(hat tip Leslie)