Absolut Vodka has must be trying to do in itself in the United States (and that’s a shame, because I am…or perhaps should start saying, was–a big fan of the stuff).
An ad campaign by the leading Swedish spirits maker targeted drinkers in Mexico. Called "In An Absolut World," the ad features a map of the Mexican and American border as it appeared in 1830, when much southwestern territory now owned by the United States was possessed by Mexico (it was lost in the Spanish-American War in 1848).
Favio Ucedo, creative director of the leading Latino advertising agency in the U.S., Grupo Gallegos, said, "Mexicans talk about how the Americans stole their land, so this is their way of reclaiming it. It’s very relevant and the Mexicans will love the idea."
This is not very relevant to marketing a vodka at all, unless you’re part of the Latino hate group La Raza (literally "THEE Race"), members of which have openly stated many times that the huge influx of often illegal immigrants from Mexico into the southwestern United States is nothing less than a "Reconquista".
(But the official stance of La Raza is that the reconquista is nothing more than a scare tactic of—you guessed it—the “racist” Right. Since Latinos are basically Caucasians, this is a really silly take on things.)
Back in 2005 in California, an editor for the Latino-based newspaper La Voz de Aztlan in Los Angeles stated: "There are great similarities between the political and economic condition of the Palestinians in occupied Palestine and that of La Raza in the southwest United States…The similarities are many. The primary one, of course, is the fact that both La Raza and the Palestinians have been displaced by invaders that have used military means to conquer and occupy our territories."
The stupidity—but dangerous stupidity—being preached by these crazy groups like La Raza, which, as all such movements like their alleged “Reconquista” must do, appeal to the basest instincts and most inflammatory emotions of people who then permit themselves to begin worshiping in the Cult of Victimhood.
There is not “Reconquista” going on. There is a great flood of often illegal Mexicans over the border to escape Mexico, where the money is not, and become part of the United States, where the money is.
The United States did not just up and invade Mexico and steal its territory (especially since, at the time, Mexico’s military was the more powerful). The United States felt threatened by Mexico’s actions, and the Spanish-American War was the outpouring of some of the last vestiges of centuries’-old Imperialism on the parts of European powers in North America.
The Palestinians have “their” land occupied because Arab nations of the Middle East decided to try to “drive Israel into the sea”—twice.
Modern Palestine was a creation of the United Nations in 1947, but the Muslim Arabs, in their hatred for Jews, insisted that the Palestinian Arabs, who had started settling in traditionally Jewish lands (when the Romans wrote of “Palestina” they were referring to Jewish lands) in the late 1800s and were welcomed in peace by the Jews.
The Israelis did not “invade” Palestine. Again, their occupation came about as part of two wars, two wars to exterminate them that they did not start.
The Palestinians don’t deserve “their” land back. Neither do the Mexicans.
Bar owner Matthew Rogers of Port Richmond, California, wrote a note to Absolut which read:
"I’ve decided to do the following: 1) Never carry Absolut. Ever; 2) Lower the price of Ketel One vodka to $2 a shot indefinitely to build loyalty; 3) Print a copy of your ad and put it above the Ketel One drink special; 4) Tell all my friends and family what Absolut thinks of the United States of America and our right to enforce border laws."
He’s right. Absolut doesn’t deserve American business now. Their marketing department doesn’t seem to be taking the hints too kindly…but if they lose enough money they will.