wooof
20th Nov 2001, 15:32
RB would appear to be getting more desperate-
NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Virgin Atlantic Airways wants Hollywood celebrities to know that the chief executive of archrival carrier British Airways Plc (LSE: BAY.L - news) ADVERTISEMENT reportedly called them "gutless cowards."
Virgin Atlantic, majority-owned by billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson's Virgin Group , is running advertisements in trade journals The Hollywood Reporter and Variety that feature remarks made by British Airways' Chief Executive Rod Eddington.
Calling out celebrities who were afraid to fly in the wake of the Sept. 11 air attacks in the United States, Eddington said in a Nov. 7 interview with the U.K. newspaper The Mirror: "They want everyone to see their movies and think how big and brave they are. But at the first sign of trouble they cower under their beds like gutless cowards."
Virgin's ad juxtaposes Eddington's "gutless cowards" quote with a response from Branson that simply states Virgin Atlantic's phone number.
"The overall message of the ad is 'When you're ready to fly, give us a call,'" said John Riordan, vice president of marketing for Virgin.
A British Airways spokeswoman said it would be inapproriate for the airline to comment on the ads because it had not seen them yet.
NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Virgin Atlantic Airways wants Hollywood celebrities to know that the chief executive of archrival carrier British Airways Plc (LSE: BAY.L - news) ADVERTISEMENT reportedly called them "gutless cowards."
Virgin Atlantic, majority-owned by billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson's Virgin Group , is running advertisements in trade journals The Hollywood Reporter and Variety that feature remarks made by British Airways' Chief Executive Rod Eddington.
Calling out celebrities who were afraid to fly in the wake of the Sept. 11 air attacks in the United States, Eddington said in a Nov. 7 interview with the U.K. newspaper The Mirror: "They want everyone to see their movies and think how big and brave they are. But at the first sign of trouble they cower under their beds like gutless cowards."
Virgin's ad juxtaposes Eddington's "gutless cowards" quote with a response from Branson that simply states Virgin Atlantic's phone number.
"The overall message of the ad is 'When you're ready to fly, give us a call,'" said John Riordan, vice president of marketing for Virgin.
A British Airways spokeswoman said it would be inapproriate for the airline to comment on the ads because it had not seen them yet.