Remember the Vodka!

Submitted by Jillian Sayre on Sat, 2008-04-05 10:51

I want to take a break from politics for a second to address alcohol. Er, wait....hard to divorce the two when Absolut runs the following image in their Mexican advertisements:

Absolut ad that features a historical map of Mexico that includes most of the USA's Southwest

It's part of Absolut's campaign to define the brand as "perfect" and follows in the footsteps of:

Absolut ad featuring a factory blowing bubbles not smoke

and

Absolut ad featuring a pregnant man

Of course the liquor ad must have its disclaimer. In this case, the "conocer es no excederse" is a 'please drink responsibly' plea that literally translates to English as 'to know is not to overstep.' The proximity of this particular warning to the revised map, an argument that relies on an understanding or knowledge of borders or limits, provides an interesting reading of the image (or readings - who must know his/her place/limits here?).

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audience

Submitted by Jim Brown (not verified) on Tue, 2008-04-08 14:38.

The Mexico/U.S. ad also raises the question of audience. How would such an ad go over in the pages of Newsweek or Rolling Stone? Absolut seems to have forgotten that it's nearly impossible to parse one's audience these days. Yeah, you might gear an ad campaign to a particular audience, but (as this blog post proves) there is little stopping someone from recirculating an image to a new audience - an audience that does not participate in the "rah-rah" of redrawing the border between Mexico and the U.S.

ad pulled

Submitted by Bill Wolff (not verified) on Fri, 2008-04-11 19:08.

Seems that Absolut has pulled its Mexico ad because some folks in the US didn't appreciate it:

Defending the campaign last week, Absolut maker Vin & Spirit said the ad was created "with a Mexican sensibility" and was not meant for the U.S. market.

"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," a spokeswoman wrote on Absolut's Web site.

"Instead, it hearkens to a time which the population of Mexico may feel was more ideal," she wrote.

Absolut's blog site has received more than a thousand comments since the ad campaign was launched a few weeks ago, with many calling for boycotts of the Swedish company.

"I have poured the remainder of my Absolut bottles down the sink," one blogger wrote.

One wonders what the reaction would have been for an ad run in France and Spain with a map pre-Louisiana Purchase:

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