BA Can’t Get It Up Stunt

In 1999, British Airways struggled to raise the London Eye on time. Richard Branson saw the delay and sent up a Virgin blimp with a cheeky banner: “BA CAN’T GET IT UP!!” The photo hit front pages and gave Virgin a free marketing jackpot.

Why It Works

• Timing: Jumped in during BA’s low moment.
• Humor: Used a funny, slightly naughty twist that made headlines.
• Contrast: Virgin looked bold while BA looked slow.
• Earned media: Got massive press for pennies.

Examples

• Wendy’s roasting McDonald’s for broken ice cream machines.
• Burger King’s “Whopper Detour” using McDonald’s locations to drive app orders.
• Tesla trolling Toyota’s “boring” cars by showcasing futuristic designs.
• Oatly’s “Wow, no cow!” jabbing at dairy without naming names.