The Norwegian airline came up with a dazzling and amusing advertisement campaign, based on the star couple's split. When the whole world was still discussing the minute details and the implications of the split-up, Norwegian, which is Europe's third largest low-cost carrier, quickly announced a new London to Los Angeles cheap-flight campaign.
The ad said 'Actor. LA. Newly Single. Seeks like-minded partner with GSOH' without directly mentioning either Pitt's or Jolie's name, although the allusion was crystal clear and spurred a lively response on social media.
London to LA from £169* one way #FlyNorwegian https://t.co/Oezj6tshj0 pic.twitter.com/vkpfzDmT9e
— Norwegian UK (@NorwegianUK) September 22, 2016
In no time, the ingenious marketing solution was taken to the next level, as Norwegian's formerly discontinued line Oslo-LA was re-launched with a straightforward-yet-witty print ad: 'Brad is single.'
😂😂 #winning #brilliant #advertising Norwegian air ad pic.twitter.com/gy6e3o2g4W
— Eve D'Souza (@evedsouza) September 23, 2016
Subsequently, a similar ad in Spanish, offering direct low-cost flights from Barcelona to Hollywood, appeared on Norwegian's Facebook page.
Despite the fact that the public went bananas over the ad, many experts expressed doubt over whether it is right for advertisers to profit on people's personal issues.
"In many cases, divorce is a personal tragedy and, I mean, a company like Norwegian should think twice before publishing such an ad. Although these are celebrities, they are still people. And there are children involved," Markus Lind, Creative Director at Good Morning, told Norwegian news outlet Kampanje.
Pitt's sex appeal has been lauded by many sources, including British film magazine Empire, which named him one of the 25 sexiest stars in film history in 1995. The same year, Pitt won People's Sexiest Man Alive, an accolade he won again in 2000. Additionally, Pitt appeared on Forbes's annual list of the 100 most powerful celebrities in 2006, 2007, and 2008, peaking as number five.
Starting in 2005, Pitt's relationship with Angelina Jolie quickly became one of the most closely-watched celebrity romances worldwide. In 2006, their daughter Shiloh, who was born during the couple's flight from the media attention to Namibia, was described as "the most anticipated baby since Jesus Christ."
On September 19, 2016, Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt, citing irreconcilable differences.
