Posted on 04/04/2008 1:51:32 PM PDT by mnehring
We have received many comments on an ad showing what an ABSOLUT world would look like from a Mexican point of view. We are sorry if we offended anyone. This was not our intention. We will try to explain. Though you may not agree, I hope you understand......
.....The In An Absolut World advertising campaign invites consumers to visualize a world that appeals to them -- one they feel may be more idealized or one that may be a bit "fantastic." As such, the campaign will elicit varying opinions and points of view. We have a variety of executions running in countries worldwide, and each is germane to that country and that population.
This particular ad, which ran in Mexico, was based upon historical perspectives and was created with a Mexican sensibility. In no way was this meant to offend or disparage, nor does it advocate an altering of borders, nor does it lend support to any anti-American sentiment, nor does it reflect immigration issues. Instead, it hearkens to a time which the population of Mexico may feel was more ideal.
As a global company, we recognize that people in different parts of the world may lend different perspectives or interpret our ads in a different way than was intended in that market. Obviously, this ad was run in Mexico, and not the US -- that ad might have been very different.
There is an institutional anti-Americanism at work here so ingrained into the international popular culture that its inhabitants don't even notice it anymore. I don't get any feeling that Absolut management realizes even now just how very offensive that was. Let their sales figures show them.
Sensible Mexicans drink Tequila and support their own country's product.
P*ss on their “historical perspectives”. They aren’t based on history.
Courtesy of Travis McGee:
“The True History of the Southwest, 101”
The amount of historical idiocy and fallacies surrounding the history of the Southwest is staggering, chief among them the “Aztlan” fairy tales. What’s the truth? How did the Spanish Europeans conquer the Southwest? The “conquistadores” (that means “conquerors”) did it with the lance, and the lash.
For example, in 1541 Coronado entered present-day New Mexico (which included present-day Arizona during the Spanish era) searching for the “lost cities of gold.” One of his first actions upon meeting the natives was to burn 100s of them alive in their dwellings, for not handing over suspected horse thieves. That is how Spain conquered the natives of the present US Southwest—not with hugs and kisses. It was certainly no love-fest between long-lost brown-skinned soul-mates, as it is often portrayed today by the delusional Aztlaners, who spin the “new bronze race of Mestizos” toro-mierda.
By 1821, Mexico City was strong enough to overthrow the even more decrepit and ineffectual Spanish rule. However, the distant provinces of the current U.S. Southwest were far beyond the reach of the authority of the independent but strife-torn government of Mexico City. These distant northern provinces received neither military protection nor needed levels of trade from the south. Under Spanish rule, trade with the USA was forbidden, but at least Spain provided trade and Army protection from hostile Indians. Under Mexican abandonment and neglect, the Southwest received neither trade nor protection from Mexico City.
For example, Comanches and Apaches ran rampant in the 1830s in this power vacuum created by Mexican neglect, burning scores of major ranches that had been active for hundreds of years and massacring their inhabitants. Mexico City could neither defend nor keep the allegiance of its nominal subjects in these regions. Nor did it provide needed levels of trade to sustain the prior Spanish-era standard of living. Mexican governmental influence atrophied, withered and died at the same time that American pathfinders were opening up new routes into the region.
Increasingly, a growing United States of America was making inroads into the Southwest, via ships into California, and via gigantic wagon trains of trade goods over the Santa Fe Trail from St. Louis. The standard of living of the SPANISH in these provinces subsequently increased enormously, which is why they did not support Mexico City in the 1846-48 war. In fact, the Spanish-speaking inhabitants of the Southwest NEVER considered themselves “Mexicans” at all, ever. They went, in their own eyes, from SPANISH directly to AMERICAN. To this very day, if you want a punch in the nose, just call an Hispanic native of New Mexico a “Mexican!”
So how long did Mexico City have even nominal jurisdiction (in their eyes) over the American Southwest? For only 25 years, during which they had no effective control, and the area slipped backwards by every measure until the arrival of the Americans. The SPANISH inhabitants of the Southwest NEVER transferred their loyalty to Mexico City, because all they received from the chaotic Mexican government was misrule, neglect, and unchecked Indian raids.
Since then, how long has the area been under firm American control? For 150 continuous years, during which time the former Spanish inhabitants of the region, now American citizens, have prospered beyond the wildest dreams of the Mexicans still stuck in Mexico. To compare the infrastructure, roads, schools, hospitals etc of the two regions is to understand the truth. The Mexican government has been mired in graft, corruption, nepotism and chaos from the very start until today. The ordinary Mexican peons have been trampled and abused, while only the super-rich elites have thrived. This is why millions of Mexicans want to escape from Mexico today, to enjoy the benefits of living in America that they can never hope to obtain in Mexico.
And because today Mexico is a corrupt third-world pest-hole, (despite having more millionaires and billionaires than Great Britain), we are now supposed to let any Mexican from Chiapas, Michoacan or Yucatan march into the American Southwest, and make some “historical claim” of a right to live there?
From where does this absurd idea spring?
At what point in history did Indians and Mestizos from Zacatecas or Durango stake a claim on the American Southwest? Neither they nor their ancestors ever lived for one single day in the American Southwest. The Spanish living in the Southwest in 1846 stayed there, and became Americans by the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. There were no Spanish inhabitants of the Southwest who were marched to the border and driven into Mexico. It didn’t happen. The SPANISH in the Southwest welcomed American citizenship, which brought stability, protection from Indian raids, and a vast increase in their standard of living with the increase in trade.
In summary, NO current inhabitants of Mexico have ANY claim on even one single inch of the Southwest!
NOT ONE citizen of Mexico is sneaking into the USA to reclaim property their ancestors were deprived of, NOT ONE.
They are criminal invaders and colonizers, pure and simple.
It’s time Americans learned the true history, as a counter to the prevalent Aztlaner fairy tales.
Skyy.
I don’t understand why the ad would appeal to Mexicans. If Mexico got California, Arizona New Mexico, Nevada, and Texas back, where would all those Mexicans that come across the US/Mexico border looking for jobs go? They’d all be unemployed as soon as the Mexican government drove the economy of their new territories into the same toilet as the rest of Mexico. (That would not take six months.)
As far as I’m concerned, their response just adds insult to injury.
Why didn’t they advocate the Mexicans getting rid of their corrupt goverment? That’s what their ‘dream’ should be.
Good GREIF!
The non-apology apology for anyone not enlightened enough to understand the true meaning of their wonderful ad campaign.
Even more insulting than the ad.
It's really sad. Even if we gave Mexico all that land, it would still be Mexico. Why not imagine a country that wasn't corrupt? Why not imagine a country where the rule of law prevailed? Maybe they should try to imagine justice, liberty, and freedom.
Great move asshat .. I hope your sales go way up in Mexico ...cause they're sure gonna be taking a hit on our side of the border
Weasley, that’s the word.
I too thought this ad must be fake. Cannot believe a major company would be so stupid. Its response compounds the insult.
Weak explanation. No contrition; pure BS. Of course, it’s about changing borders. Of course it is anti USA.
This PR person must be drinking the product at work, intellectually handicapped, a liar or all three. The same goes triple for the genius ad agency.
But, I can’t stop buying their product because I never started.
In any event, it’s ... Absolutely Adios, A$$h##es.
Ketel One is Dutch. Not bad. Belvedere is Polish. Better.
It does? I don't think that Mexico ever had the boundaries shown in the ad. They seem to be the ones promoted by MeCha (however it's spelled) in all of their Aztlan crap. “
_______________________
It's balderdash. My Cherokee ancestors lived in Texas (and are buried there!) before it was a republic and the Mexicans didn't! They wanted no part of it. They had Mexico's blessing. The ones pissing and moaning today never had an ancestor within a thousand miles of the place. And California....was settled by Spanish missions....a few Mexicans came along and stayed....they sure don't have descendants in Mexico.
ooooooooohhhhhhhhh - Skyy is very good too. I’m craving a Lemon Drop now.
Make MEAD!
Screw that vodka crap.
“Sensible Mexicans drink Tequila and support their own country’s product.”
There ya go! And the ones that aren’t sensible are HERE!
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