Can an Ad Save a Doomed Plane?

In 1980, Adweek knew an ill-fated campaign when it saw one

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Thirty-eight years ago, a major airline manufacturer was in serious trouble and hoped a bit of advertising would bail it out. Adweek’s July 14, 1980, issue carried the news of a new campaign aimed at salvaging the reputation of the DC-10 jet—and with it, the fortunes of maker McDonnell Douglas.

A little over a year prior, the port-side engine on American Airlines Flight 191 ripped off the wing during takeoff at Chicago O’Hare. The plane stalled, crashed and killed 273 people.

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