EasyJet Creates Most Talked About Ads Of 2003

EasyJet has proved that you don’t necessarily need a high-profile agency to create impactful advertising with its in-house campaign for its low cost flights being voted the most talked about of 2003.
According to the latest Ads That Make News Survey from Propeller Communications and Durrants Media Monitoring, the budget airline beat off competition from campaigns starring Gary Lineker and Jamie Oliver to become the most newsworthy of the last year.
EasyJet ads were written about in national newspapers more than any other during 2003 with its controversial ‘Weapon of mass distraction’ execution featuring a women’s breasts, attracting 186 complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority (see ASA Refuses To Blast Weapons Of Mass Distraction Ad).
Other headline-grabbing EasyJet ads were those featuring a picture of convicted Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? cheat Major Charles Ingram next to the strapline: ‘No Major Fraud’; and execution promoting cheap flights to Spain after David Beckham was transferred to Real Madrid.
Abbott Mead Vickers created the second and third most talked about ads of the year with its campaign for Walkers Crisps starring Gary Lineker coming out just ahead of its ads for Sainsbury’s featuring Jamie Oliver.
The agency was also responsible for creating the infamous Dog Breath ad for Wrigley’s X-cite chewing gum, which featured a man regurgitating a dog. The commercial was taken off air following a record number of complaints from viewers and has now been voted the sixth most talked about of the year (see Dog Breath Ad Ditched As Complaints Rise).
The pulling power of celebrities proved a sure-fire way for companies to get their ads talked about in the news. McDonald’s took joint fourth place after Justin Timberlake was introduced to front its brand and later when the ASA ruled against its advertising for French fries (see McDonalds Fried Over Chips Claim).
The Number’s high profile 118 118 campaign, created by WCRS, shared fourth place after its two seventies-style long distance runners captured the nation’s imagination. It also courted controversy as various athletes claimed the characters were based on them (see 118 118 Runners Finish First In Ads That Make News Survey).
Commenting on the survey, Martin Loat, managing director of Propeller Communications, said: “The EasyJet result may surprise some creatives at well-established agencies, but it shows that you do not necessarily need to employ an award-winning agency to create high-profile advertising. EasyJet created instant fame by consistently parodying popular tabloid celebrity culture. By plugging into the stories of the day the company created a bigger platform for their simple low-cost message than the media budget alone could buy.”
He added: “As budgets continue to come under pressure, and the need for stand out and return on investment increases, we could see more advertisers piggy-backing the news-driven agenda to create instant recognition for their ads.”
Just outside the top ten in eleventh place was the highly controversial new campaign from Bartle Bogle Hegarty for Barnado’s, which features images of babies with cockroaches and syringes in their mouths. The camping was only launched in November, but has already attracted more complaints to the ASA than any other campaign.
Propeller Communications: 0870 066 4608 www.propellercom.com
Recent Related Stories from NewsLine ITC Refuses To Clamp Down On Burger King Commercial ITC Bans Gillette TV Ad Following 159 Complaints ASA Refuses To Crack Down On Carling’s Fat Bride Ad
Subscribers can access ten years of NewsLine articles by clicking the Search button to the left