Golley Slater - London, UK

Naked Ambition for Aer Lingus launch

When Golley Slater first pitched an idea to Aer Lingus where 999 members of the public would be asked to strip, the client thought they’d lost the plot.  But, as the idea developed, the client admitted he would be the mad one not to go for it!

Earlier this year, Golley Slater PR was appointed to help put Aer Lingus on the London map as the Irish airline launched its first base outside of Ireland, at London Gatwick.

With limited brand awareness in London, Golley Slater was working with a blank canvas, so it was decided very early on that there was an opportunity to sex up the brand to appeal to brand savvy Londoners.

However, there was one slight problem…the recession.  With overseas travel severely impacted, how do you launch an airline to people who simply weren’t spending on travel?

Simple – you give people an offer they can’t afford to ignore – an all inclusive offer of flights for £9.99.  And that’s where the idea to invite 999 people to strip off their clothes all started. 

“Great” said Aer Lingus “But how do you plan to get 999 people nude, in central London, in front of the world’s press and in less than three weeks?”

“That’s easy” responded Golley Slater, “Offer them free flights” – and so they did.