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Coors angers some Puerto Ricans by placing flag on beer cans
PIX11 ^ | May 2013 | PIX11

Posted on 05/31/2013 6:26:21 AM PDT by xp38

Cold beer has the blood boiling from the City Council to the Bronx.

The Puerto Rican Day Parade is only weeks away, and once again, parade officials along with Coors Light are serving up controversy for the community

Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito is furious that the parade and MillerCoors would actually place a Puerto Rican flag on a Coors Light can and include a similar patriotic image as part of the campaign logo.

“My initial reaction is that this is unacceptable,” Mark-Viverito said.

RELATED: Controversial Puerto Rican Day Parade Coors Light ads taken down “Anybody that sees that image, on that can of beer, the first thing they see is the Puerto Rican flag and that is supposed to be the greatest symbol of a nation, the greatest symbol of its people, a culture and its contributions and equating it with a can of beer really is deplorable,” Mark Viverito told PIX11 News. Two years ago, I was the first to report on the disastrous “emboricuate” campaign. It was perceived by many Puerto Ricans as a play off the word “Boricua” (or Puerto Rican) and Spanish word “emborachar,” which means to get drunk. Company officials insist the campaign was about becoming more connected to Puerto Rican roots.

Puerto Ricans were not amused.

After our 2011 report, State Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. of the South Bronx sent a to letter to the Coors family. The “emboricuate” campaign was pulled down throughout the city, and Diaz cited the PIX 11 report as the reason.

As for the senator’s take on the new controversy? Well, there is no mistaking what he sees.

“This is the Puerto Rican flag. This, this is the Puerto Rican flag,” Diaz said.

Some observers say there is a big difference between Budweiser putting an American flag on its cans and what Coors is doing with the Puerto Rican flag.

“We minorities from third countries, we feel different. We … don’t play around with our flag, don’t play around with our culture,” Diaz said.

RELATED: Coors Light ad raising eyebrows in Puerto Rican community In light of this latest controversy, a MillerCoors spokesperson said the company has a strong track record of responsible advertising and marketing in its seven-year involvement with the parade. Additionally, they have invested in scholarships.

PIX11 News visited the official Puerto Rican Day Parade offices on Third Avenue in the Bronx.

Once off the elevator doors, the parade offices were right there, their door wide open. After knocking and calling out for worker, I identified myself to a gentleman in an office as a PIX11 News reporter and informed him that my photographer and I would like to speak with parade officials.

He told me they were in a meeting and asked me to take a seat in the office.

We sat in the seats directed and for nearly 20 minutes heard a lively discussion focused on crisis communications. There was great concern that this latest controversy greatly hurts the Coors Light brand and they were trying to identify the best way for parade officials to get ahead of this before a boycott emerges.

All of this is to counter a rally that is taking place at this distributorship Thursday in the Bronx.

Once out of the meeting, stunned to see our cameras, parade officials scampered to an office. They weren’t expecting us.

Once the parade chairperson, Madelyn Lugo, emerged and realized we were told by one of their workers where to sit, she declined to answer any of our questions.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; US: New York
KEYWORDS: alcohol; beer; coors; hissyfit; puertorican; puertoricanday; puertorico
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I somehow suspect any outrage from here is from a completely different perspective.
1 posted on 05/31/2013 6:26:21 AM PDT by xp38
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Comment #2 Removed by Moderator

To: xp38

Shakedown!


3 posted on 05/31/2013 6:30:36 AM PDT by Dr. Ursus
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To: xp38

They should have a picture of a sexual assault. That is what I think of when I think of the Puerto Rican Day festivities.


4 posted on 05/31/2013 6:33:05 AM PDT by PghBaldy (12/14 - 930am -rampage begins... 12/15 - 1030am - Obama's advance team scouts photo-op locations.)
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To: xp38

Is Coors an American beer, or a Puerto Rican beer? If it’s American, WTF do the put another flag on it?


5 posted on 05/31/2013 6:33:30 AM PDT by Cowboy Bob (Democrats: Robbing Peter to buy Paul's vote.)
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To: xp38
“We minorities from third countries, we feel different. We … don’t play around with our flag, don’t play around with our culture,” Diaz said.

Except when it comes to taking welfare from the United States.

6 posted on 05/31/2013 6:33:41 AM PDT by Moonman62 (The US has become a government with a country, rather than a country with a government.)
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To: xp38
I don't get it.

Are they made because it is their flag, or because it's not ?

Is is just beer they don't want their flag on ?


7 posted on 05/31/2013 6:34:15 AM PDT by UCANSEE2 (The monsters are due on Maple Street)
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To: xp38

I don’t know why but flags are a very big deal for most Hispanics.


8 posted on 05/31/2013 6:35:37 AM PDT by Moonman62 (The US has become a government with a country, rather than a country with a government.)
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To: xp38
“We minorities from third countries, we feel different. We … don’t play around with our flag, don’t play around with our culture,” Diaz said.

Exactly why you do not belong in mine.

9 posted on 05/31/2013 6:36:07 AM PDT by skeeter
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To: xp38

I saw this report on fox and seems its a parade. The planners are getting money from Coors to have the flag and parade placed on the can. Kinda funny how it was looking like Coors decided to do this when actually the Parade Planners are skimming money. They kicked out the reports with no comment.


10 posted on 05/31/2013 6:37:24 AM PDT by Baseballguy (If we knew what we know now in Oct would we do anything different?)
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To: Cowboy Bob

I believe Coors is South African.


11 posted on 05/31/2013 6:37:41 AM PDT by 1rudeboy
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To: Dr. Ursus
Shakedown!

Exactly what I was thinking.
12 posted on 05/31/2013 6:40:42 AM PDT by RandallFlagg (IRS = Internal Revenge Service)
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To: UCANSEE2

Near as I can tell putting the PR Flag on a can of beer in relation to their parade is somehow insensitive to the pride and culture of the PR community. 2 years ago more insensitiveness from Coors using the word drunk in ads had some up in arms.


13 posted on 05/31/2013 6:41:46 AM PDT by xp38
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To: Cowboy Bob
Is Coors an American beer, or a Puerto Rican beer? If it’s American, WTF do the put another flag on it?

Maybe because they are in the business of selling beer?

14 posted on 05/31/2013 6:41:57 AM PDT by Starstruck (Don't rest. We came close to the 2nd Amendment being field tested.)
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To: xp38
“Anybody that sees that image, on that can of beer, the first thing they see is the Puerto Rican flag and that is supposed to be the greatest symbol of a nation, the greatest symbol of its people, a culture and its contributions and equating it with a can of beer really is deplorable,” Mark Viverito told PIX11 News.

I'll bet dollars to donuts that Mark Viverito knows someone who has burned or otherwise desecrated an American Flag.

Go call a waaaaambulance pal.

15 posted on 05/31/2013 6:42:28 AM PDT by Bloody Sam Roberts (For me, I plan to die standing as a free man rather than spend one second on my knees as a slave.)
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To: 1rudeboy

Coors operates a brewery in PR.
Nearly all beers are sold in little bitty cans or bottles.


16 posted on 05/31/2013 6:43:59 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks (NRA Life Member)
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To: Eric in the Ozarks

Now I’m wondering: Does SAB own more of Coors, or does Molson? Or does it matter? I’m not an investment banker.


17 posted on 05/31/2013 6:48:15 AM PDT by 1rudeboy
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To: xp38
My glasses need cleaning - I thought it read, "Coors angers some Puerto Ricans by placing FAGS on beer cans"...
18 posted on 05/31/2013 6:48:34 AM PDT by Old Sarge (My "KMA List" is growing daily...)
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To: Bloody Sam Roberts
"...the Puerto Rican flag and that is supposed to be the greatest symbol of a nation, the greatest symbol of its people, a culture and its contributions and equating it with a can of beer really is deplorable,” Mark Viverito told PIX11 News."

As Puerto Rico is moving toward American statehood their activists and race baiters are obviously sharpening their organizing skills. They already see the pot at the end of the civil rights rainbow. Look for Ricky Martin to lead the lavender mafia to DeeCee demanding marriage sometime soon.

19 posted on 05/31/2013 6:48:56 AM PDT by Baynative (Lord, keep one hand on my shoulder and the other over my mouth.)
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To: Cowboy Bob

Coors is like making love in a canoe


20 posted on 05/31/2013 6:49:17 AM PDT by al baby (Hi Mom)
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