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Punny Airline Ad Offers "Fares Too Hard To Resist"

ROMULUS (WWJ) - One airline that flies out of Detroit Metro Airport is trying to capitalize on the "sexting" scandal involving New York Congressman Anthony Weiner.

Spirit Airlines has begun running an ad on its website promoting "The Weiner Sale", asking "Have you seen our weiner?" and offering "fares too hard to resist", starting nine dollars each way. The ad shows a picture of a hot dog.

University of Detroit Mercy marketing Professor Mike Bernacchi says, yeah, it crosses the line.

"These type of promotions, generally speaking, are very short-lived," Bernacchi said.

"But, you know what? They accomplish what they set out to do, and that's to get some publicity, to get some acknowledgement, no matter how absurd it is," he said.

"The objective is to get Spirit's name ... to get the brand's name out there, to get folks to react to it, get a reaction from Spirit, etcetera ... you know, because that gives it a little bit more than just one news cycle maybe and if you can keep it going for a while and certainly the fact that the congressman himself is keeping this thing going," Bernacchi said.

In an email to WWJ Newsradio 950, Spirit confirmed that the ad is legit.

Bernacchi says the only way to get rid of this type of advertising is to complain and not fly the airline. You may recall Spirit pulled an ad campaign a few years ago "The Hunt for Hoffa" when investigators were looking for his remains in Milford.

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