Southwest in the Super Bowl
After 53 years, Southwest made the controversial decision to retire open seating—a policy fiercely defended by loyalists and dreaded by everyone else. For most people, boarding without an assigned seat felt like The Hunger Games. So we took that idea… very literally. And we debuted it during the Super Bowl on Peacock.
This was a turbulent time for Southwest.
After a series of unpopular changes, like ending Bags Fly Free, assigned seating could’ve been the final straw. Customers assumed Southwest was trading its soul for sameness, becoming just another airline.
But the truth was, most people did not love open seating...
Open seating was an open joke. In fact, it was literally a joke on an episode of The Office’s spinoff, The Paper.
Rather than dodge criticism, we embraced it.
When it came time to write the jokes, we didn’t have to invent much. We basically just scrolled the Internet. All those complaints people post about Southwest Airlines? This time, they were incredibly helpful. Pretending a seat is taken, setting alarms the night before, families stressing about sitting together. Those bits were lifted straight from comment sections.
Southwest boarding begins now.
🌲
We've gotta sit together!
🪵
I don't want a middle seat. I don't want a middle seat.
🌿
Oh no. Group C?!
I thought you checked us in last night.
🕸️
Well, I was a minute late.
🌱
I thought you set an alarm.
⏰
I didn't.
🤷♂️
AHHHHHH!!!
😱
The wheel is spinning but we're not moving.
🪨
Hurry, I don't want to board last.
🏃♂️
Wait! It's stuck.
🛞
Leave it.
🍂
I'm not gonna leave our child in the woods.
👶🏽
The stroller, genius.
🙄
This is totally gonna work.
Move it, BUSTER!
👵🏻
Stop, we gotta go back.
🛑
We're not going back.
🚫
I forgot my neck pillow.
🛏️
We're going back.
👍
I can't have a middle seat.
🌺
Step on it, hon.
🦅
It's PANDEMONIUM!
🤪
Act natural.
😎
Is this seat taken?
💺
You gotta ask him.
👉
I am NOT sitting in a middle seat.
🙅🏼♀️
GET OUTTA THE WAY!
🙀
Southwest boarding begins now. 🌲 We've gotta sit together! 🪵 I don't want a middle seat. I don't want a middle seat. 🌿 Oh no. Group C?! I thought you checked us in last night. 🕸️ Well, I was a minute late. 🌱 I thought you set an alarm. ⏰ I didn't. 🤷♂️ AHHHHHH!!! 😱 The wheel is spinning but we're not moving. 🪨 Hurry, I don't want to board last. 🏃♂️ Wait! It's stuck. 🛞 Leave it. 🍂 I'm not gonna leave our child in the woods. 👶🏽 The stroller, genius. 🙄 This is totally gonna work. Move it, BUSTER! 👵🏻 Stop, we gotta go back. 🛑 We're not going back. 🚫 I forgot my neck pillow. 🛏️ We're going back. 👍 I can't have a middle seat. 🌺 Step on it, hon. 🦅 It's PANDEMONIUM! 🤪 Act natural. 😎 Is this seat taken? 💺 You gotta ask him. 👉 I am NOT sitting in a middle seat. 🙅🏼♀️ GET OUTTA THE WAY! 🙀
The spot debuted during Peacock’s Super Bowl stream, reaching 27.8 million viewers.
Purchase intent among fliers hit 62% (7 points above norm), and during the Super Bowl window Southwest saw year-over-year increases in both flight searches and ticket purchases. Proof that even when the policy changes, the personality doesn’t.
And the headlines followed.