Background: Ryanair is Europe’s biggest airline, famous for laughably cheap airfares, no-frills flying (yep, it makes Jetstar feel premium). It’s also known for an unfiltered social media presence and an equally unfiltered CEO, Michael O’Leary, who’s been running the airline for 30 years.

What happened: The drama kicked off after Ryanair ruled out installing Elon Musk’s Starlink Wi-Fi, saying it was too expensive and added fuel drag. Musk fired back on X, calling O’Leary an “unsufferable chimp” and even threatening to buy Ryanair just to fire him. Musk then called O'Leary an "idiot".

What else: Instead of backing down, Ryanair leaned in. The airline launched an “idiot sale”, offering 100,000 seats for $20 USD, openly thanking Musk for the free publicity. Bookings jumped, clicks surged and the stunt delivered exactly what Ryanair wanted: attention that converted into sales.

What's the key learning?

💡In today’s attention economy, outrage is often more powerful and cost-effective than traditional advertising. Ryanair deliberately courts controversy to stay front of mind without spending millions on ads.

💡Controversy can drive real commercial outcomes. For example, these public spats often get media attention, which leads people to Google Ryanair, see ultra-cheap fares and book flights on the spot (no need to delay your purchase when it's $20 USD flights).

💡This strategy only works for a specific kind of brand. Ryanair’s unapologetic, chaotic image turns drama into consumer demand....but this isn't a playbook that could be replicated by many other companies.