British Airways and Norwegian Air Engage in Viral Social Media Bet During World Cup Match
During the World Cup soccer match between Norway and England, the two countries' airlines, British Airways and Norwegian Air, sparked a social media rivalry. The airlines agreed on a playful bet: if one country's team lost, its airline would temporarily change its social media profile picture to the rival airline's logo. Norwegian Air initiated the challenge on Instagram, proposing that if Norway won, British Airways would switch its logo to Norwegian's for a day, and vice versa.
British Airways accepted the challenge with a witty response, and the exchange quickly gained viral traction, attracting participation from other international airlines like Malaysia Airlines and Austrian Airlines, who joined the banter with their own humorous comments. The playful rivalry continued up to and during the match, with both sides exchanging friendly jabs.
The match took place at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, featuring star players Harry Kane for England and Erling Haaland for Norway. Despite betting apps favoring England, the game was closely contested and ended 2-1 in England's favor after extra time. Consequently, Norwegian Air honored the bet by temporarily adopting British Airways' logo on its social media.
Eivind Hamer Myhre, Norwegian Air's spokesperson, told Business Insider that the idea originated from their social media team as a fun, low-risk wager. He expressed surprise at the widespread positive response, reaching tens of millions globally, and praised British Airways for their sportsmanship. British Airways also acknowledged the friendly rivalry, emphasizing that while the competition lasted only 90 minutes, the companies remain friends.
This social media campaign offered a fresh, lighthearted marketing approach that engaged not only the two airlines but also others in the industry, creating a festive atmosphere around the World Cup event. Norwegian Air concluded the challenge with a friendly invitation to England for a trip to Norway, highlighting the camaraderie behind the rivalry.
