Spirit Airlines (Nasdaq: SAVE), the Nasdaq rookie, played with its sense of humor today by offering The Weiner Sale. In honor, or in humor, of Rep. Anthony Weiner's tremendous Twitter faux pas, the sale promises "fares too HARD to resist." (Wow, did they really just say that?)

Bravo, Spirit. Your humorous writing caught my attention and led me to your website, and now I find myself perusing airfare for an island escape. In the direct-marketing world, this would appear to be a win. And that's not to mention the clear media victories. With this 48-hour sale, Spirit Airlines evoked daylong commentary from witty tweeters.

But does this win for Sprint mean the company will become a winning investment? Not necessarily. Spirit recently listed on the Nasdaq, but in spite of the IPO mania that's sweeping other industries, the company received a less-visible public introduction than other recent debuts have. And it's no secret that the airline industry is one of the most competitive, cutthroat industries around. With margins that are tight under even normal operating conditions, the airlines are feeling even more strain as rising fuel prices further threaten to cut into profits.

It'd be easy to dismiss Spirit's promotion as a one-time edgy, buzz-generating ad that will come and go, but it also speaks to a companywide character. In an industry where companies have few advantages over their competitors, something like this campaign can have lasting effects. Just look at JetBlue (Nasdaq: JBLU) and Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV). Efficient operations that appeal to cost-conscious consumers have been a big part of their success -- but so is a unique character that appeals to weary travelers tired of the same old thing. 

On its own, Spirit's promotion might not change the business. But in a competitive airline environment, I like to see a company that's having fun and carving out its own unique personality. What appears to be a fun one-time ad could be evidence of an airline company set to separate itself from the pack.