33. National Airlines' Saucy "Fly Me" Ad Campaign, and the Great Stewardess Rebellion of the 1970s

Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications Stories · Jul 6, 2022 · 39m

Sexist advertising that objectifies women reached its heyday in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

But, in that era, it was very seldom that any company actually faced backlash or consequences for its ad practices.

That began to change, however, when National Airlines deployed a racy new ad campaign in which alluring young stewardesses invited travelers to "Fly Me" on their next business trip.

National Airlines may have sold more tickets as a result of the ads.

But, for a workforce of stewardesses who were fed up with sexist standards and unfair working conditions, the campaign proved to be a…