Low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines is taking advantage of the new law in Colorado allowing recreational use of marijuana. The airline launched a playful promotion on its website and via email, aimed at those who might be considering a trip to the state to light up in celebration of the new legislation.
It's a stark example of so-called "newsjacking," or a company aligning a marketing message with an item in the news. Spirit is offering customers a chance to “get mile high” with $10 off flights to Colorado. “The no smoking sign is off (in Colorado),” a promo on its website reads. “Book today...and be sure to pack some munchies,” the airline urges. Cute.
Spirit is not the first company to piggyback on the new pot rules in the Centennial State. Companies specializing in what has been dubbed “weed tourism,” or, more cleverly, "cannavacations," have been popping up all over the state since marijuana was legalized for recreational use.
The airline’s witty use of the news in marketing has won it plenty of acclaim from amused Twitter users. Still, some will point out that its flippant, marijuana-tinged marketing is inappropriate, especially considering that taking the plant on a flight is still very much illegal.
What do you think of Spirit’s marketing technique?
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Clever ;)
Do you know how many smart people have to slow themselves down to communicate with regular people? I’m not that blessed, but I have met people who are. This is not a bad cohort to aim for with your marketing campaign. Adopting a cooties attitude about hedonistic tourism might appeal to a market. I just don’t think it’s a prime one. Did you see the article about stiletto stoners? Lots of high-powered people can afford to tone down hypervigilence now and then. This market has money.
I of course think its awesome. Marketing diversity…you gotta love it!
Corporations are starting to realize the LARGE Economic bloc of people that we are. You write us off at your OWN peril. Now if we can ONLY get politicians to use their heads on this we’d be in business. I wrote Sen John McCain about the VA allowing Medical Marijuana to be used by Veterans with PTSD. What I received back from him was nothing but DOUBLESPEAK. Saying we need more research on the plant before we legalize anything. Yet in the next paragraph he threw his support and the need for more money to go to the FDA and the NIH. The two largest OBSTRUCTIONISTS of research on marijuana EVER! I wrote him back and told him his position was HYPOCRITICAL and if he really believed we need more research, to propose a Bill that would REQUIRE the FDA to RELEASE marijuana for research purposes to the MANY “very well respected research institutions” that have had requests into the FDA for research marijuana. Many requests are over 25 years old and still NOTHING.
The U of AZ just fired the leading medical marijuana researcher at the University. She had approval for a study to be done on medical marijuana and PTSD. The only one holding up the research was the FDA. WE even had the money to fund the study, from medical marijuana patients getting their medical cards. That money was earmarked ONLY for “the betterment” (or in furtherance of the AZ MMJ Act). However a State Senator in AZ, wouldn’t allow the Bill to be heard in her committee, effectively KILLING the study. Then she took that money and gave it to Law Enforcement as well as ANTI-MARIJUANA groups in AZ.