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Spirit Airlines Seeks Consumers' Low Points
- by Sarah Mahoney @mahoney_sarah, March 13, 2009
At Spirit
Airlines, the Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.-based carrier that lays claim to coining the phrase "ultra low-cost carrier," going low is something that's taken very seriously. In its latest promotion, it's
asking customers to send the company videos that answer the question: "How low can you go?" In an email sent to its list of 2.8 million users--yes, email marketing is another favorite tightwad technique of the airline--it calls for entries. "As you know, our fares are famously low. But we want to know what you think is even lower. Something crude, lewd and just plain low down," it says. "Ever taken money from a church offering basket? Spit in someone's drink when they weren't looking just because they were rooting for another team? Whatever it is, we want to know."
The contest sprang from a single TV spot Spirit has been airing in Florida markets for the last few months. It shows a young man in a bathrobe, awfully cozy with an older woman--who turns out to be his best friend's mom. (The theme probably isn't coincidental. This is an airline whose M.IL.F. slogan--as in "Many islands, low fares," got it plenty of publicity in the past.)
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Turns out the film's amateurish, nanny-cam look was easy to achieve: To save money, the marketing staff shot it themselves, using staff as actors, says Bobby Schroeter, Spirit's senior director of consumer marketing. The woman who plays the mom is a real actor, he says; she was paid in ticket vouchers.)
The ad generated enough hits on YouTube that a video contest seemed like a natural follow-up, says the airline. Spirit will choose the Top 10 spots--based on the number of views received--and give the winner a year of free travel, with a companion ticket, anywhere that Spirit flies.
"Our business model is that we allow people to pay for only what they want--why should you pay for your neighbor to have a drink when you're not thirsty?," says Schroeter. "We want to get our message out there as cheaply and easily as we can. The cheaper we are, the lower the costs for our customers."
Patty - you are not alone! I totally agree with you! I was highly offended and shocked (and hadn't even seen the video - just saw the email request). Below is excerpts from my email conversation with Spirit Airlines. Maybe I was too nice . . .
Lori :)
Dear Spirit Airlines -
LOL - I can't believe you actually have a sub-tab under advertising called "offended by promotional ad". Man - how many complaints do you get? Doesn't that say something??
I am writing to comment on your latest email promotional ad/contest to win a year's worth of free flights. I love great deals and, of course, contests/sweepstakes. But I was quite shocked to see what kind of contest you guys are running. This is unbelieveable. My view of Spirit Airlines was just "low"ered. :( I don't find this contest in good taste at all. It's offensive. I will be unsubscribing to your emails. I would encourage you to come up with a different promotion that uplifts and promotes good things . . . I definitely will not be promoting Spirit Airlines to my friends anymore.
Sincerely,
Lori West
Dear Lori West,
Thank you for writing in and letting us know your feelings and thoughts about one of our new marketing campaigns. I apologize that you find this campaign of concern. There are a lot of edgier campaigns out in the marketplace and in popular culture today. We've received a lot of positive feedback and people are taking advantage of our low fares for our many destinations.
Thank you again for taking the time to write us and we look forward to serving you on a future flight.
Sincerely,
Sylvia J.Silva
Corporate Consumer Relations
Spirit Airlines
Dear Sylvia Silva,
Thank you for your response to my comment/complaint. I am glad that Spirit Airlines takes it seriously to personally address the issues brought to them by their customers and the public in general.
In rereading not only your response to me, but also the ad in question - I guess one of my main issues is the sentence "Show us just how low you'd go". . . . to encourage people to "show . . . how low" they'd go . . . that's offensive and wrong. It's encouraging the wrong things/behaviors/actions in life.
Your reasoning - "There are edgier campaigns out in the marketplace and in popular culture today" - reminds me of my kids saying "But mom - everyone else is doing worse stuff than me. What I'm doing isn't nearly as bad as everyone else!" . . . . but it's still not right (on many levels). Just because the culture accepts something, or because many or most of the people around us are doing things, doesn't make it right. But that is what we have been taught to believe (in some ways and on some levels).
I am raising my kids to have integrity in all they do. That means, that even when all their friends around them are cheating on tests, that they will, instead, study hard and do their best. When all the kids around them are wanting to take something from a store and shoplift ("C'mon man - it's only a soda . . .or a piece of candy . . or a (whatever) . . . Everyone does it. It's no big deal. The store won't even miss it!"), that they will be honest and pay for the items they are taking out of the store. That no matter what life (or the culture around them) throws at them - that they will maintain their integrity, honesty and reputation . . . even if it means that they do not have the chance to win a year's worth of airline tickets, or a trip to Disney, or an I-pod, or a million dollars, etc. Our integrity and reputation are worth far more than anything materialistic out there. You can't buy them back once they are gone.
Our nation's economic troubles right now are due, in part, to people's willingness to "go with the crowd" and do "whatever it takes" - to go as "low" as they can to earn a buck, to get that house, to sell a mortgage, to receive a bigger bonus, to make their company look like it's doing great when it's sinking fast. And what was the end result? . . . . Catastrophe! Who are people able to trust now? Who do they want to turn to? Those that maintained their integrity throughout all the greed and pressure from the culture when "everyone was doing it". Those are the banks, businesses and institutions that will be blessed during these tough economic times and that will still be standing when this is all over.
Lastly, I would expect a controversial and "edgy" ad campaign from certain types of businesses, but I definitely did not (and would not) expect it from an airline - a business that services all kinds of people - especially families and kids (as I'm sure you get alot of business from that population as their wallets are tighter than the business men and executives - since you offer such low fares. As a mother of 5 kids - I know how expensive it is to travel anywhere with kids!). This is not a family-friendly campaign. But maybe you are not a family-friendly airline/business. ??
Thank you again for taking the time to read my comments/complaint and for addressing it appropriately. I do pray and hope that your ad department (and company in general) will take my thoughts and concerns into true consideration. I do believe that you offer a great service for a great price - something that people definitely need in this day and age. But I would love to see it done with just a little more integrity in the future. I hate knowing that you are "rewarding" someone for being or doing the most despicable (low) thing they could think of. Is that really where we want our society to end up - even worse off than it is now? I, for one, want to positively affect my children, community, schools, city, and nation - to encourage integrity, honesty and greatness! America is an awesome country with awesome people living in it . . . but it could be even better! That's what I want to encourage! We need to teach and encourage not only our children, but those around us, to strive to see how "high" they can go (not only in honesty and integrity, but in good works, helping others, giving of ourselves, getting a good education, taking care of this planet and the people on it, etc). Obama wasn't elected to office because he said he would go "as low as he could" (though I don't necessarily agree with all his policies and agendas) - but because he wanted to bring change . . . positive change. That (obviously) is what people want! I don't think anyone would truly elect someone to public office because they did something "low"er than all the others. Usually they are kicked, forced or otherwise removed out of that position or campaign. Yes - I know this is not about politics - but it is about the human race, and the responsibility we have to live with decency, honesty, integrity and within the law.
Thanks again.
Sincerely,
Lori West