Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition cross-promoted with airplane wrap

Annals of magazine promotion: A U.S. airline has caused attention to be paid by wrapping one of its 737 planes in a vinyl reproduction of this year's Sports Illustrated magazine cover model. It certainly seems to be one of those examples where the more criticism it attracts, the better the promotional value -- for the airline and for the magazine.

Commenters on the airline's blog have noted that Southwest was the airline that barred female passenger from one of their flights for showing too much skin and that, in all likelihood, that cover model Bar Rafaeli would not be allowed aboard wearing what little she was wearing on the outside of the plane. (That's Rafaeli posing above with members of the flight crew.)

A Southwest spokesperson told Folio: that about a quarter of the response it has received about the promotion so far has been negative. "As with anything that's different and unique, you do hear from some people who disagree," the spokesperson said. “We wanted to make sure it was in good taste before we put it up on the aircraft.”