Absolut Outrage.. Vodka Reconquista

[eXe]

StoryLink

Taking the Reconquista concept all the way to the end, Absolut Vodka launched an ad campaign that appears on billboards and at least one magazine that features a map of the western U.S. and Mexico with nearly the entire west coast appearing as a part of Mexico. This ad appears in Quien Magazine, which is owned by Time Warner and also appears on billboards in Mexico. Quien claims a "total audience" of 513,000 readers in Mexico and the southwestern U.S.

The map covers what used to be Mexico's claimed borders before our 1846 war with them from which the U.S. took possession of California, Texas, New Mexico, etc. But, the ad shows those states as part of Mexico with the "Estados Unidos De America" situated to the north and east of the "Absolut World" Mexico.

In a day when immigration issues are incendiary between our two countries, Time Warner accepting ads that stirs Mexico's sentiments to "take back" parts of the U.S. (as the term Reconquista means) as their own territory is quite extraordinary.

One would think that such a hot button issue would have raised a few eyebrows with Time Warner? Even worse, this ad never raised a fuss with anyone even as ads for other products were pulled because of "offending" people.

Last year, a Snickers ad was pulled from airing on TV when gay activist groups complained that the ad, which showed two men eating a snickers and accidentally locking lips, was "offensive" to gays. A GoDaddy ad was pulled in 2005 for sexual content. A pro-life ad was even pulled in Ontario this year because the pro-life message was somehow "offensive."

Yet, an ad showing the west coast reconquered by Mexico doesn't raise a peep?

Michelle Malkin has a page on this, so does Hot Air, Snappedshot.com and Gateway Pundit, among others.

If you'd like to voice your concern to the importer of the alcohol, try V&S Group.

They can be reached at the follow email addresses:

Claes Akesson, VP Corporate Responsibility - claes.akesson@vsgroup.com

Sofia Leffler Moberg, Manager Corporate Responsibility - sofia.leffler.moberg@vsgroup.com

Jacob Broberg, Senior Vice President V&S Corporate Affairs & Communications - jacob.broberg@vsgroup.com

Bengt Barron, CEO - bengt.barron@vsgroup.com

Contact information for Absolut:

Jeffrey Moran

Director of Public Relations and Events

The Absolut Spirits Company, Inc.

1370 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10019

USA

Phone, direct: +1 212 641 87 20

[mzkitty]

Maggots.

[RCSAR]

They just lost 4 customers here.

Forever!

[The Freeholder]

Doubting Thomas that I am, I'd like to see a picture of the billboard or a scan of the ad before I go firing off email messages.

Sorry guys, but I don't trust every site on the Internet to tell the truth. I don't know Newsbusters from Ghostbusters.

[eXe]

Originally Posted by The Freeholder

Doubting Thomas that I am, I'd like to see a picture of the billboard or a scan of the ad before I go firing off email messages.

Sorry guys, but I don't trust every site on the Internet to tell the truth. I don't know Newsbusters fron Ghotsbusters.

Well.. here ya go..

http://www.absolutads.com/?p=800

[mzkitty]

Originally Posted by eXe

Well.. here ya go..

http://www.absolutads.com/?p=800

Scroll down and leave your comment.

[buff]

i've been an absolut fan for a loooooong time...all the way back to college.

guess i'll have to drink sky or stoly from now on...

this ad pisses me off.

[Butterfly]

an excellent reason to buy Schmirnoff's or Stoli. Bye bye Absolut...

[Micro]

I hope you drinkers tell them why you are not using their product anymore.

[mzkitty]

Originally Posted by Micro

I hope you drinkers tell them why you are not using their product anymore.

I left a comment.




.

[Seeker]

Grey Goose - I know, its French - but they're beginning to see the light these days. Let's encourage them.

[hazman]

Try Finlandia Vodka. Made in Finland, but

American owned by Brown Forman in Louisville, KY.

One of the worlds best vodkas.

Same owners as Jack Daniels.

Hazman

[bbbuddy]

this is from the http://www.absolutads.com/?p=800 website in replies:
"Pissed about the add? Make it known to the idiots running this corporation!

Jeffrey Moran
Director of Public Relations and Events
The Absolut Spirits Company, Inc.
1370 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10019
USA
Phone, direct: +1 212 641 87 20
E-mail: jeffrey.moran@absolut.com"


I have sent off my email, and they have lost a customer for life, no apology can EVER make up for this...

[The Traveler]

that is over their PR department. I feel much better now and wont buy their product ever again.

[The Freeholder]

Originally Posted by eXe

Well.. here ya go..

http://www.absolutads.com/?p=800

Sorry, it isn't passing the sniff test yet. Their source is a blogger (http://contrawoody.blogspot.com/2008...absoluto.html). I'm a blogger as well, and I know that of my fellow bloggers are...not into checking sources, shall we say. Also, one the comments to the blog post makes and interesting point--if the add targets Hispanics, then why is the text in English? Doesn't make a lot of sense, does it?

Also, it's supposed to be a magazine ad as well, and the proportions are wrong.

I checked Snopes; nothing there.

If you go to their site, they have a listing of ad campaigns; this ad doesn't show up. This particular campaign encouraged "user generated" ads; perhaps this was one that "got away"?

For the conspiracy minded, it's also possible that this is actually a smear campaign. Stranger things have happened in big business, and liquor is definately a big business.

[Double_A]

Sorry, the link goes nowhere. I'm beginning to think your loyalty is misplaced.

Originally Posted by The Freeholder

Sorry, it isn't passing the sniff test yet. Their source is a blogger (http://contrawoody.blogspot.com/2008...absoluto.html). I'm a blogger as well, and I know that of my fellow bloggers are...not into checking sources, shall we say. Also, one the comments to the blog post makes and interesting point--if the add targets Hispanics, then why is the text in English? Doesn't make a lot of sense, does it?

Also, it's supposed to be a magazine ad as well, and the proportions are wrong.

I checked Snopes; nothing there.

If you go to their site, they have a listing of ad campaigns; this ad doesn't show up. This particular campaign encouraged "user generated" ads; perhaps this was one that "got away"?

For the conspiracy minded, it's also possible that this is actually a smear campaign. Stranger things have happened in big business, and liquor is definately a big business.

[crossbowboy]

I am glad we bought two bottles of SMIRNOFF earlier this evening ...

[NBCsurvivor]

Damn, if this pans out no more of their vodka for me. Been a big fan since High School. Oh well, Stoli and Grey Goose save me a seat please.

[sy32478]

I highly recommend Luxusowa - it is a Polish potato vodka and it is much better than Stolichnaya and miles ahead of Smirnoff.


More on the controversey: http://michellemalkin.com/

[Billy Tudor]

WORST. AD. EVER.

I'm glad I've started brewing my own beer - that way I can offend others who don't agree with my hyper-nationalistic, small government political views. I may have to brew a special "cinco - de - mayo" brew with giant fence on it!

Try Belvedere

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belvedere_(vodka)

It is brewed in a steadfast US ally, Poland.

[Tweakette]

"Absolut Reconquista" - chili flavored with a matricula in the bottom of the bottle....



I won't be buying another bottle of Absolut (I'm partial to the Citron)...

Tweak

[Altura Ct.]

Absolut arrogance and the advertising agency behind the reconquista ad

http://michellemalkin.com/

[Hippie Chic]

The latest advertising campaign in Mexico from Swedish vodka maker Absolut promises to push all the right buttons south of the U.S. border, but it could ruffle a few feathers in El Norte.

The billboard and press campaign, created by advertising agency Teran\TBWA and now running in Mexico, is a colorful map depicting what the Americas might look like in an "Absolut" -- i.e., perfect -- world.

The U.S.-Mexico border lies where it was before the Mexican-American war of 1848 when California, as we now know it, was Mexican territory and known as Alta California.

Following the war, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo saw the Mexican territories of Alta California and Santa Fé de Nuevo México ceded to the United States to become modern-day California, Texas, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado and Arizona. (Texas actually split from Mexico several years earlier to form a breakaway republic, and was voluntarily annexed by the United States in 1846.)

The campaign taps into the national pride of Mexicans, according to Favio Ucedo, creative director of leading Latino advertising agency Grupo Gallegos in the U.S.

Ucedo, who is from Argentina, 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.”

But he said that were the campaign to run in the United States, it might fall flat.

“Many people aren’t going to understand it here. Americans in the East and the North or in the center of the county -- I don’t know if they know much about the history.

“Probably Americans in Texas and California understand perfectly and I don’t know how they’d take it.”

Meanwhile, the campaign has been circulating on the blogs and generating strong responses from people north of the border.

“I find this ad deeply offensive, and needlessly divisive. I will now make a point of drinking other brands. And 'vodka and tonic' is my drink,” said one visitor, called New Yorker, on MexicoReporter.com.

Reader Paul Green goes into a discussion on the blog Gateway Pundit of whether the U.S. territories ever belonged to Mexico in the first place, and the News12 Long island site invited people to boycott Absolut, with one user, called LivingSmall, writing: “If you drink Absolut vodka, you can voice your approval or disapproval of this advertising campaign with your purchases. I know I will be switching to Grey Goose or Stoli and will never have another bottle of Absolut in my house.

“Hey Absolut ... that's my form of social commentary.”

-- Deborah Bonello and Reed Johnson in Mexico City.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lapl...-reconque.html

[Hippie Chic]

They are totally gunning for civil strife! They want it! Ask yourself why?

[Green]

If I have my history straight, Mexico started the war, got its ass kicked and volunarily gave up land for peace. Nothing was stolen. The only oversight was the U.S. believed that Baja California was only rocks and snakes and gave a pass at owning it too.

[blueridge]

"...in the United States, it might fall flat....Many people aren’t going to understand it here..."


To the purveyors of a FORMERLY popular adult beverage:
Au contraire, imbecile - it's about the only part of the 'message' that will be PERFECTLY understood.

Can we say BOYCOTT???

An 'absolute' one at that...

[denfoote]

If I drank, I'd boycott Absolut.
As it is, I'm already waiting for the Mexican riots to start, fueled by the inflammatory rhetoric of the local open borders crowd here in the Phoenix AZ metro area!!

http://www.mcso.org/include/pr_pdf/G...0Operation.pdf


http://www.mcso.org/include/pr_pdf/s%20Comments.pdf

[Lynn]

This is the add.

[adgal]

denfoote If I drank, I'd boycott Absolut.

Me too!

[Hippie Chic]

You should read the comments on that link! People are ticked!



Contact information for Absolut:

Jeffrey Moran
Director of Public Relations and Events
The Absolut Spirits Company, Inc.
1370 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10019
USA
Phone, direct: +1 212 641 87 20
E-mail: jeffrey.moran@absolut.com

[Kokoro]

They are looking for a new market? They know they are about to lose one? Or is it completely political?

Bad timing or judgement on their part. Who do they think buys their product right now? Am thinking the Mexican market is not that great for sales. One would think that the US would be a decent portion of their profits. Sign of times maybe.

[Hippie Chic]

I enjoyed this comment by Andy...



"More anti-American drivel that apparently is completely acceptable these days.

In the age of the internet, where information is available to everyone and everywhere, who at Absolut thought that this wouldn't get back to Americans? In a time where illegal immigration is a very touchy issue and the relationship between the US and Mexico is strained, this was the dumbest possible advertising decision regardless of what the people in that country think.

Do I think all the illegal immigrants from Mexico in this country want to take back "their land"? No. They left Mexico to escape the poverty and the corrupt government, I doubt they want that to go back to that.

Having said that, this advertisement does nothing but reinforce that notion among the conspiracy theorists.

If this were the other way around and Mexico was part of the US in the ad, we'd have an international incident and I'm sure massive boycotts from people in Latin America against US products. But seeing that the US is "getting what they deserve", it's alright.

Americans have every right to be offended and to boycott the brand."
__________________________________________________ _______
And this one too.....



Copy of letter sent to Absolut Vodka, New York and Sweden:

Sarah,

If your company was truly interested in geographical accuracies for your new campaign showing a map of North America in 1848, perhaps your ad company would have done their homework before hand.

Panama did not come into existence until long after 1848 (see Teddy Roosevelt and the Panama Canal), so Colombia, should encompass what is now Panama. Cuba was a colony of Spain, so your map should have pointed out that Spain owned Cuba. Belize, was known as British Honduras, claimed until 1991 by Guatemala, and owned by the British Crown. The great Republic of Texas gained independence from Mexico long before 1848. And most of the small Caribbean Islands were under British, French and Dutch rule, as many of them are today.

I am sure if you were to ask the good people of the American Southwest, including most Americans of Mexican descent how they would feel about being returned to Mexico, land of political corruption, corrupt politicians, run amok by drug lords and chocking in poverty, despite the great wealth that Mexico has. The answer would be not no, but, hell no!

As for me, I will tell you what I think of your campaign. I am now a fan of American, Polish and Russian Vodka. No more Absolut for this household.

I also would like to know when Absolut Vodka, the Swedish Government and the Swedish people are going to address reparations, payments and an apology for the raping and pillaging committed by the Vikings and for the great sufferings they brought upon their neighbors and when for the love of justice are you going to address your so called 'neutrality' during World War II. If we are going to 'RIGHT THE WORLD' perhaps you Swedes should stand first in line. And, so it won't get too lonely there at the front of the line, I will pen a small letter to the people of Mongolia and the descendents of Genghis Khan to see if they are willing to follow suit after you.

I toast to you with American, Polish and Russian vodka,

Dan Hernandez

[Hippie Chic]

And this one from Steve, and thats all I'll post. I just found the comments interesting.



"BOYCOTT ABSOLUT. I bought a drink with their vodka last night, but never again. This ad is the geographical equivalent of race-baiting -- criminally irresponsible in its stirring up of hatred.

Any piece of land on earth can be said to have been "stolen" from someone else. Where do reconquista-minded Mexicans think they got THEIR territory? By bloody conquest, that's how, every inch of it. When do they plan to give it all back to the various tribes they stole it from?

It's time countries stopped shedding blood over borders, or coveting each other's land, and tried to do better by the territory and populace they already administer.

I love Mexico and my Mexican friends, but one out of every ten Mexicans has already fled to U.S. To suggest, even in jest, that the corrupt, inept government that's driven away 1/10th of its own population deserves to take over half the U.S. is pretty disgusting.

Sure, they'll say it's just a joke. But it's not to a lot of unbalanced individuals who could easily turn terrorist with this kind of encouragement.

Obviously Absolut is willing to do anything for money -- even inflame ancient disputes that could end in terrible violence and bloodshed.

Maybe their next ad, running in Arab media, will feature a pile of dead Jews? Yeah, that would be hilarious too.

Absolut? No thanks. I'll have -- anything else you've got."

[The Freeholder]

Originally Posted by Double_A

Sorry, the link goes nowhere. I'm beginning to think your loyalty is misplaced.

Spare me. I have no loyality to any liquor company. Try this:

http://contrawoody.blogspot.com/2008...-absoluto.html

It was a cut-and-paste error. There was a ")" at the end of the URL. Sheesh.

[Altura Ct.]

Blah, blah, blah. Absolut's talking but I can't understand a word with all the sh*t in their mouth.

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.

By Paula Eriksson, VP Corporate Communications, V&S Absolut Spirits

http://absolut.com/iaaw/blog/in-an-a...ding-to-mexico

[The Freeholder]

Here's some more "news" on this. Original link from www.drudgereport.com.

This is the original link from the LA Times blog collective: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lapl...-reconque.html

Same story, same alleged ad we've all seen. One new piece of interesting information--the ad is by Teran/TBWA, and Mexican ad agency. So, follow the handy link in the blog post to http://www.terantbwa.com.mx/ingles/index.html. (This gets you to the English version of their site.)

Do a little exploring. Absolut is listed as a client. OK. Look at the 12 ad campaigns on the left of the page. I would assume that these are current campaigns, as listing your current campaigns is an industry standard practice. See an Absolut ad?

Now, let's go over this.

1. I haven't seen this story in any mainstream media--no ABC, no CNN, no where. Of course, I may have missed it, or the media may be in a huge conspiracy to cover it up.
2. We've seen only one ad, and one picture of the ad out there in the real world. Now, I'm not an ad person, but I have a basic understanding of the necessary techniques from my association with various marketing folks. There is never a single version of an ad, and it never appears in one place. (Unless you're Apple, and it's the 1984 ad.)
3. The ad is aimed at Hispanics, but the ad text is in English.
4. This has only been reported on blogs, and I've been able to point to the original poster of this. Every other mention can be tracked through a chain back to that original.

Now, here's the point I'm trying to make. While this could be true, it may well be yet another well-orchestrated Internet hoax. At this point, there isn't enough information to make a reasoned judgment either way. The well-known picture of the ad on what appears to be the side of a building may well be a Photoshop. (Do any of our members have the skills and time to make a stab at determining if this is so?) The picture is so non-specific as to any details other than the ad (in other words, you have no visual context/clues around the ad image in the picture), that there is no way to determine where it is.

We are very ready to bash the media (old or new) when their news doesn't conform to our world view. Why are we so ready to accept their news when it does?

The point I'm trying to make here, ist that you must be a skeptical consumer of news, people. Otherwise, it can be used to lead you down the garden path--right into a big, thorny bush.

[almost ready]

particularly as this brand is wholly owned by the Swedish Government. Who are they to pipe up in such a way?

If you want to put a bee in their bonnet, you might write not to Absolut but to Pernod. They agreed a week ago to buy this brand specifically to "bolster our presence in the US", and with 5 million cases being sold here (previously) this would do it.

Not if folks boycott the brand. Don't you think they ought to know that the Swedes have sullied the deal? Probably isn't worth $8+ billion dollars anymore!

Pernod Richard is a huge company. They already own all these brands:

Pernod Ricard USA's leading brands include Kahlúa® Liqueur, Chivas Regal® Scotch Whisky, Seagram's Extra Dry Gin®, Malibu® flavored Rum, Stolichnaya® Vodkas, Jameson® Irish Whiskey, The Glenlivet® Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Wild Turkey® Bourbon, Beefeater® Gin, Hiram Walker™ Liqueurs and Martell™ Cognac, as well as Jacob's Creek® and Brancott Estate® wines, Perrier Jouët® Champagne, Mumm® Champagne and Mumm Napa™ wines, and Pernod® and Ricard® Liquors.

Here is their contact page.

http://www.pernod-ricard-usa.com/contact/

Here is the link to the article about their purchase of Absolut.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23878244/

[almost ready]

This brand is wholly owned by the Swedish Government. Who are they to pipe up in such a way?

If you want to put a bee in their bonnet, you might write not to Absolut but to Pernod. They agreed a week ago to buy this brand specifically to "bolster our presence in the US", and with 5 million cases being sold here (previously) this would do it.

Not if folks boycott the brand. Don't you think they ought to know that the Swedes have sullied the deal? Probably isn't worth $8+ billion dollars anymore!

Pernod Richard is a huge company. They already own all these brands:

Pernod Ricard USA's leading brands include Kahlúa® Liqueur, Chivas Regal® Scotch Whisky, Seagram's Extra Dry Gin®, Malibu® flavored Rum, Stolichnaya® Vodkas, Jameson® Irish Whiskey, The Glenlivet® Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Wild Turkey® Bourbon, Beefeater® Gin, Hiram Walker™ Liqueurs and Martell™ Cognac, as well as Jacob's Creek® and Brancott Estate® wines, Perrier Jouët® Champagne, Mumm® Champagne and Mumm Napa™ wines, and Pernod® and Ricard® Liquors.

Here is their contact page.

http://www.pernod-ricard-usa.com/contact/

Here is the link to the article about their purchase of Absolut.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23878244/

[The Freeholder]

I found another (different) picture, but still on a blog. http://www.sondrak.com/index.php/weblog/sobering/

Any Photoshop experts out there? To my inexpert eye, this one looks fishy. The lights at the bottom are awfully sharp-edged. The lettering ooks off somehow, as if the perspective is wrong.

[Irish]

My DH watches CNN and Foxnews in the mornings and evidently there was a report on it, because when I showed him the ad, he said that he had already seen the story on it.