MEXICO CITY (AP) - The Absolut vodka company apologized Saturday for an ad campaign depicting the southwestern U.S. as part of Mexico amid angry calls
for a boycott by U.S. consumers.
The campaign, which promotes ideal scenarios under the slogan "In an Absolut World," showed a 1830s-era map when Mexico included California, Texas and
other southwestern states. Mexico still resents losing that territory in the 1848 Mexican-American War and the fight for Texas independence.
But the ads, which ran only in Mexico and have since ended, were less than ideal for Americans undergoing a border buildup and embroiled in an
emotional debate over illegal immigration from their southern neighbor.
More than a dozen calls to boycott Absolut were posted on michellemalkin.com, a Web site operated by conservative columnist Michelle Malkin. The ads
sparked heated comment on a half-dozen other Internet sites and blogs.
"In no way was it 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," Absolut said in a statement left on its consumer inquiry phone line.
Some fringe U.S. groups also claim the land is rightfully part of Mexico, while extreme immigration foes argue parts of the U.S. already are being
overtaken by Mexico.
"In an Absolut world, a company that produces vodka fires its entire marketing department in a desperate attempt to win back enraged North American
customers after a disastrous ad campaign backfires," a person using the moniker "SalsaNChips" wrote on Malkin's Web site.
A plan for comprehensive immigration reform designed to deal with an estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants in the United States - the vast
majority from Mexico - collapsed last summer under the emotional weight of the debate.
Absolut said the ad was designed for a Mexican audience and intended to recall "a time which the population of Mexico might 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, and for that we apologize."
Vin & Sprit, Absolut's Sweden-based parent company, will be acquired by French spirit maker Pernod Ricard SA under a deal reached last week.shari - 4-9-2008 at 07:26 PM
OMG... I WISH I'd have boycotted that Absolut last night...I'm paying for it today...bien cruda!awfulart - 4-10-2008 at 07:22 AM
Quote:1830s-era map when Mexico included California, Texas and other southwestern states. Mexico still resents losing that territory in the 1848
Mexican-American War and the fight for Texas independence----
I guess I need to check my history books. I understood we did pay Mexico for the territory mentioned above. I wonder if the Mexicans purchased
their land from the Indians or ?David K - 4-10-2008 at 07:27 AM
Yup, and look how much farther north they would be going for the good paying jobs!Taco de Baja - 4-10-2008 at 08:11 AM
about this far....
Or, maybe we'd be heading west for good paying jobs.
tripledigitken - 4-10-2008 at 08:19 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by Oso
But the ads, which ran only in Mexico and have since ended,
Not true they had a billboard in San Diego. Maybe they consider San Diego to be Mexico?
KenDENNIS - 4-10-2008 at 01:56 PM
I remember a few years back when Bacardi Rum put up a billboard advertisment on the border fence road in Tijuana. Along with the usual rum propaganda
it had a huge statue of liberty facing north. I didn't hear anyone finding that distasteful except the voices in my head.DENNIS - 4-10-2008 at 02:05 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by awfulart
I guess I need to check my history books. I understood we did pay Mexico for the territory mentioned above. I wonder if the Mexicans purchased
their land from the Indians or ?
Actually, the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, including the land purchase, was a result of the carefully planned policy of Manifest Destiny. Florida
was aquired with the same reasoning that we would control the coast lines and everything in between.The Gull - 4-10-2008 at 02:37 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by tripledigitken
Not true they had a billboard in San Diego. Maybe they consider San Diego to be Mexico?
Many of us do.
Hooray for Manifest Destiny
MrBillM - 4-10-2008 at 02:46 PM
The Spanish took the land with the Sword. Mexico deserved no more than we gave them. It all worked out for the best.
Speaking of Billboards, I was surprised (and disgusted) as I drove through the Coachella Valley heading North last week, to see a number of Budweiser
Billboards advertising Bud or Bud Light with CLAMATO, possibly the worst thing ever meant to drink. I'm unsure whether it comes
inside the Bud or they're simply advertising it as a combination ? If it comes that way, it's not yet up here.
No accounting for tasted.
??????????Oso - 4-10-2008 at 09:19 PM
Yes, it now comes already added in the can. It's been a favorite michelada along the border for years. "Border Maria" has previously been a favorite
when it's really HOT. Basically a 24 oz, can of Bud. Bud light or Miller or whatever, the first part of which poured over ones fevered brow then a 6
oz. can of clamato added. Salud!Packoderm - 4-10-2008 at 09:31 PM
I don't think we could afford that long of a fence with that border.
