Boys will be boys. Southwest Airlines and Stevens Aviation agreed to a friendly contest to decide the rights to a slogan. Stevens Aviation had been using the slogan, “Plane Smart” for a year before Southwest unknowingly began using the slogan “Just Plane Smart” ad campaign.
Steven Aviation thought that it would cost too much time and money in lawyers and fees. Instead, he proposed that they hash it out by each company sending its top warrior to battle it out. He proposed a one-on-one arm-wrestling competition before employees and media.
The best two out of three matches would win the rights to the slogan–and the loser of each match would donate five thousand dollars to a charity of the winner’s choice. The two companies’ CEO’s took the challenge. Southwest Airlines ended up losing and its CEO blamed it on a hairline fracture and a cold he was suffering from.