--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Short of committing murder, negative…" description: "\"Short of committing murder, negative publicity sells more seats than positive publicity.\" — Michael O'Leary" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47d/michael-o-leary-14256_airline_short-of-committing-murder-negative-publ_2216073.jpg" --- # Short of committing murder, negative publicity sells more… ![“Short of committing murder, negative publicity sells more seats than positive publicity.” quote by Michael O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47d/michael-o-leary-14256_airline_short-of-committing-murder-negative-publ_2216073.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47d/michael-o-leary-14256_airline_short-of-committing-murder-negative-publ_2216073.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47d/michael-o-leary-14256_airline_short-of-committing-murder-negative-publ_2216073.jpg) > “Short of committing murder, negative publicity sells more seats than positive publicity.” [Michael O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-leary/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He claims that negative publicity can attract more attention than positive, implying controversy drives audience interest. **In simple terms:** Controversy draws more attention than praise. Key Takeaway Leverage bold messaging. Themes marketing controversy attention Mood critical strategic Type analytical cautionary When to use this quote - product launches - political campaigns - media scandals Key Concepts public relations consumer behavior Questions to Reflect On - When does negative buzz become harmful? - How can brands balance shock with integrity? A Different Perspective Negative focus can damage reputation long‑term. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aviation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aviation/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Murder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murder/) [Publicity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/publicity/) ## Related quotes > [Work hard. Believe in yourself. It's not the publicity that sells the clothes, it's the woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-renta/work-hard-believe-in-yourself-it-s-not-the-publicity-that-sells-the/) [Oscar de la Renta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-renta/) > [It is worth asking if advertisements are ever an effective counter against negative publicity. International experience shows that it depends on the issue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sucheta-dalal/it-is-worth-asking-if-advertisements-are-ever-an-effective-counter/) [Sucheta Dalal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sucheta-dalal/) > [Trump has been fiercely mocked in the media since the 1980s. But Trump learned from someone to let all the mockery roll off his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dean/trump-has-been-fiercely-mocked-in-the-media-since-the-1980s-but-trump/) [Michelle Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dean/) > [With a lot of negative publicity, we have to start thinking positive. When you start thinking positive, you begin to encourage. That's when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-cunningham/with-a-lot-of-negative-publicity-we-have-to-start-thinking-positive/) [Randall Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-cunningham/) > [One of the strange things about violent and authoritarian regimes is they don't like the glare of negative publicity. If you can make them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/one-of-the-strange-things-about-violent-and-authoritarian-regimes-is/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [One of the strange things about violent and authoritarian regimes is they don't like the glare of negative publicity. If you can make them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/one-of-the-strange-things-about-violent-and-authoritarian-regimes-is-3/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [One of the strange things about violent and authoritarian regimes is they don't like the glare of negative publicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/one-of-the-strange-things-about-violent-and-authoritarian-regimes-is-2/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [The unions need to be taken on. British Airways is massively over-staffed and has got to get its costs down. . . . The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-leary/the-unions-need-to-be-taken-on-british-airways-is-massively-over/) [Michael O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-leary/) > [Air transport is just a glorified bus operation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-leary/air-transport-is-just-a-glorified-bus-operation/) [Michael O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-leary/) > [The airline business is it is mostly run by a bunch of spineless nincompoops who actually don't want to stand up to the environmentalists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-leary/the-airline-business-is-it-is-mostly-run-by-a-bunch-of-spineless/) [Michael O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-leary/) > [Why does every plane have two pilots? Really, you only need one pilot. Let's take out the second pilot. Let the bloody computer fly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-leary/why-does-every-plane-have-two-pilots-really-you-only-need-one-pilot/) [Michael O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-leary/) > [We should try to eliminate things that unnecessarily piss people off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-leary/we-should-try-to-eliminate-things-that-unnecessarily-piss-people-off/) [Michael O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-leary/) > [The airline industry is full of bullshitters, liars and drunks. We excel at all three in Ireland.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-leary/the-airline-industry-is-full-of-bullshitters-liars-and-drunks-we/) [Michael O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-leary/) > [Code-sharing, alliances, and connections are all about "how do we screw the poor customer for more money?"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-leary/code-sharing-alliances-and-connections-are-all-about-how-do-we-screw/) [Michael O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-leary/) > [One of the Internet's highest-profile companies, Priceline once dreamed of transforming the way consumer goods are bought and sold by offering customers the chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-berenson/one-of-the-internet-s-highest-profile-companies-priceline-once/) [Alex Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-berenson/) ## More by Michael O'Leary > [All flights are fuelled with Leprechaun wee and my bullshit!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-leary/all-flights-are-fuelled-with-leprechaun-wee-and-my-bullshit/) [Michael O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-leary/) > [I'm disrespectful towards authority. I think the prime minister of Ireland is a gobshite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-leary/i-m-disrespectful-towards-authority-i-think-the-prime-minister-of/) [Michael O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-leary/) > [One of the weaknesses of the company now is it is a bit cheap and cheerful and overly nasty, and that reflects my personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-leary/one-of-the-weaknesses-of-the-company-now-is-it-is-a-bit-cheap-and/) [Michael O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-leary/) > [Code-sharing, alliances, and connections are all about "how do we screw the poor customer for more money?"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-leary/code-sharing-alliances-and-connections-are-all-about-how-do-we-screw/) [Michael O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-leary/) > [I should get the Nobel peace prize - screw Bono.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-leary/i-should-get-the-nobel-peace-prize-screw-bono/) [Michael O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-leary/) > [The chattering bloody classes, or what I call the liberal Guardian readers, they're all buying SUVs to drive around London. I smile at these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-leary/the-chattering-bloody-classes-or-what-i-call-the-liberal-guardian/) [Michael O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-leary/) > [The chattering bloody classes, or what I call the liberal Guardian readers, they're all buying SUVs to drive around London. I smile at these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-leary/the-chattering-bloody-classes-or-what-i-call-the-liberal-guardian-2/) [Michael O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-leary/) > [The airline industry is full of bullshitters, liars and drunks. We excel at all three in Ireland.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-leary/the-airline-industry-is-full-of-bullshitters-liars-and-drunks-we/) [Michael O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-leary/) > [It's a great incentive to work long hours. I limit the holiday to two weeks and then get the hell back to the office.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-leary/it-s-a-great-incentive-to-work-long-hours-i-limit-the-holiday-to-two/) [Michael O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-leary/) > [The European Union spends most of its time either suing me, torturing me, criticizing me or condemning me for lowering the cost of air…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-leary/the-european-union-spends-most-of-its-time-either-suing-me-torturing/) [Michael O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-leary/) > [I'm probably just an obnoxious little bollocks. Who cares?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-leary/i-m-probably-just-an-obnoxious-little-bollocks-who-cares/) [Michael O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-leary/) > [Do we carry rich people on our flights? Yes, I flew on one this morning and I'm very rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-leary/do-we-carry-rich-people-on-our-flights-yes-i-flew-on-one-this-morning/) [Michael O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-leary/) > [We think passengers who forget to print their boarding passes should pay €60 for being so stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-leary/we-think-passengers-who-forget-to-print-their-boarding-passes-should/) [Michael O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-leary/) > [I have more money than I am ever going to need. Financially, I'm fine for the next couple of hundred years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-leary/i-have-more-money-than-i-am-ever-going-to-need-financially-i-m-fine/) [Michael O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-leary/) > [I'm Europe's most underpaid and underappreciated boss. I'm paid about 20 times more than the average Ryanair employee and I think the gap should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-leary/i-m-europe-s-most-underpaid-and-underappreciated-boss-i-m-paid-about/) [Michael O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-leary/) [Explore all 47 Michael O'Leary quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-leary/) ## More Airline quotes > [One of the Internet's highest-profile companies, Priceline once dreamed of transforming the way consumer goods are bought and sold by offering customers the chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-berenson/one-of-the-internet-s-highest-profile-companies-priceline-once/) [Alex Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-berenson/) > [Juan Tripp was a friend. Good name for an airline man, huh? Juan Tripp after another?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-wray/juan-tripp-was-a-friend-good-name-for-an-airline-man-huh-juan-tripp/) [Fay Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-wray/) > [Most big companies don't like you very much, except hotels, airlines and Microsoft, which don't like you at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/most-big-companies-don-t-like-you-very-much-except-hotels-airlines/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [If the Wright brother were alive today Wilbur would have to fire Orville to reduce costs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-kelleher/if-the-wright-brother-were-alive-today-wilbur-would-have-to-fire/) [Herb Kelleher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-kelleher/) > [Hart is still like that little tub of vaguely milklike gunk that comes with airline coffee. It is labeled a "nondairy" product. Fine: we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/hart-is-still-like-that-little-tub-of-vaguely-milklike-gunk-that/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [Be Luke Skywalker, not Darth Vader. Ultimately love is stronger than evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-burr/be-luke-skywalker-not-darth-vader-ultimately-love-is-stronger-than/) Don Burr > [As a businessman, Frank Lorenzo gives capitalism a bad name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-f-buckley-jr/as-a-businessman-frank-lorenzo-gives-capitalism-a-bad-name/) [William F. Buckley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-f-buckley-jr/) > [I have an 800 freephone number now that I call if I get the urge to buy an airline stock. I call at two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-have-an-800-freephone-number-now-that-i-call-if-i-get-the-urge-to/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [I don't mind flying. I always pass out before the plane leaves the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-campbell/i-don-t-mind-flying-i-always-pass-out-before-the-plane-leaves-the/) [Naomi Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-campbell/) > [Can a physicist visualize an electron? The electron is materially inconceivable and yet, it is so perfectly known through its effects that we use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wernher-von-braun/can-a-physicist-visualize-an-electron-the-electron-is-materially/) [Wernher von Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wernher-von-braun/) > [Funny, isn't it? The airlines go to all that trouble to keep you from taking a gun on board, then they just hand you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/funny-isn-t-it-the-airlines-go-to-all-that-trouble-to-keep-you-from/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Any serious airline has to look at a worldwide network.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-mallya/any-serious-airline-has-to-look-at-a-worldwide-network/) [Vijay Mallya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-mallya/) > [Running an airline is a normal job. Racing is more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-lauda/running-an-airline-is-a-normal-job-racing-is-more/) [Niki Lauda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-lauda/) > [Those were my children being slaughtered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-burr/those-were-my-children-being-slaughtered/) Don Burr > [I came from the music business, which reputedly has the biggest egos, but I really think the airline world caps it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-fernandes/i-came-from-the-music-business-which-reputedly-has-the-biggest-egos/) [Tony Fernandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-fernandes/) Browse all 342 Airline quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Short of committing murder, negative publicity sells more seats than positive publicity.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael O'Leary" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-leary/short-of-committing-murder-negative-publicity-sells-more-seats-than/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Airline" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-leary/short-of-committing-murder-negative-publicity-sells-more-seats-than/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47d/michael-o-leary-14256_airline_short-of-committing-murder-negative-publ_2216073.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47d/michael-o-leary-14256_airline_short-of-committing-murder-negative-publ_2216073.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47d/michael-o-leary-14256_airline_short-of-committing-murder-negative-publ_2216073.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Short of committing murder, negative publicity sells more seats than positive publicity.” — Michael O'Leary", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Michael O'Leary", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-leary/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Short of committing murder, negative publicity...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-leary/short-of-committing-murder-negative-publicity-sells-more-seats-than/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-leary/short-of-committing-murder-negative-publicity-sells-more-seats-than/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```