Emirates has a very fast marketing department.

After United Airlines dragged someone off their flight on Sunday and their CEO completely butchering his first attempt at an apology (he has since issued a better apology) on Monday, Emirates launched a new commercial on Tuesday focusing on previous comments made by communicator of the year Oscar Muñoz.

United, along with other American based airlines do not like Middle Eastern airlines gaining a stake within the American aviation market. United, American and Delta claim that Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways have been receiving billions in subsidies and creating an unfair marketplace. This was compounded after Muñoz claimed that Middle Eastern airlines “aren’t airlines.”

Well, in a case of “he who laughs last, laughs loudest,” Emirates took the opportunity to capitalize on United’s predicament and bring Muñoz’s comments back to haunt him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEevyPse3f8

After we have seen spoofs for Southwest or on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Emirates actually created an ad and it’s a pretty great attempt on very short notice. And they do it in a way where they don’t need to point out what happened on the United flight but we’re reminded of what happened. That’s effective advertising.

I haven’t flown on Emirates and unless my bosses give me a healthy pay raise, I probably won’t anytime soon. But their planes seem to be very luxurious and that looks strange compared to the sardine boxes we usually sit in. Maybe the more airlines and more competition, the less chance airlines can jerk around their passengers.

[Uproxx]

About Phillip Bupp

Producer/editor of the Awful Announcing Podcast and Short and to the Point. News editor for The Comeback and Awful Announcing. Highlight consultant for Major League Soccer as well as a freelance writer for hire. Opinions are my own but feel free to agree with them.

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @phillipbupp