While flipping through the news feeds this past week and being forced to watch some online holiday commercials (before I could click on "skip ad") while doing so and after I had viewed numerous holiday themed ads for the beverage from a cola loving Santa to Polar Bears wearing red scarves, the situation prompted the question, "Who doesn't like Coca-Cola?". The answer came when I realized that Elvira Pablo and Diana Turner don't, just to name a couple. Don't know who they are? Well... let me start at the beginning.
As part of the company's "Open Your Heart" commercial campaign, an ad appearing on Coca-Cola's Mexican YouTube channel and other media platforms in the country has drawn heavy criticism for being what has been called insensitive, demeaning and flat out racist by some advocates.
Opening in what appears to be a south of the border scene, a factoid appears across the screen in Spanish that translates, in part, that 81.6% of Mexico's indigenous people feel rejected when they speak a language other than Spanish. Onto the next scene that shows a group of twenty-something's working in a warehouse setting on "something". They then pile into an El Camino with their "something" in the back and head out for a road trip with the ad copy stating that "This Christmas a group of young people decided to give something very special to the indigenous community of Totontepec De Morelos in Oaxaca.". The youngsters then descend upon what appears to be the town square and proceed to build a weird looking Christmas tree out of the wood pieces they brought and paint it red. The "tree" is adorned with Coca-Cola lights, that look like bottle caps, spelling out, again in Spanish, "We will stay united". The whole time the young travelers are passing out Coke from a cooler to the thanks and smiles of the locals. The final copy gives viewers the hash tag #Abre Tu Corazon ("Open your heart"). Within just a few days of being aired the commercial was removed from all media outlets being labeled offensive. Although it can still be viewed on YouTube, it has otherwise been taken out of any other commercial rotation. Coca-Cola has since apologized for the "insensitive" nature of the ad and to any one it may have offended. Stating that "Our intention was never to be insensitive to, or underestimate any indigenous group.". Adding that "In nearly 90 years in the country, Coca-Cola Mexico has worked to share messages of unity and friendship to contribute to build a society free of prejudice."
So what exactly is the particular stick up the butts of health advocates and anti-discrimination groups across the US and Mexico? Well, my fellow Observers, there's more than one. There are a few actually. First off the youngsters in the ad appear to be....well....all white. This has prompted critiques that the commercial is nothing more than a "white savior" act. "White hipsters having an emotional experience that push them to go on a brown rescue mission." according to @Pi_Steph. @Miblogestublog tweeted "Watch Coca-Cola use white privilege to sell Coke to indigenous Mexicans." @CJ_Haslett suggests that "White Mexicans can help. Give them back their land instead of a #CocaCola and stop the repression." And @AngryChicana tweets "White saviors bring indigenous Mexicans @CocaCola and an art installation... Racism Solved!" Elvira Pablo, an indigenous lawyer and village advocate (as he describes himself) agrees with these twits by stating "I consider this type of advertising an act of discrimination and racist. And, it also promotes the breakdown of the social fabric by trying to impose a consumer culture. A culture of consumption and outside communities." These views are also compounded by the theoretical notion that Totontepec is regionally isolated. What people like Pablo would have you believe is that unless you were born there you probably wouldn't be there.
So anyone that walks into this little Mexican town is considered an outsider and is imposing on their culture? And they think the commercial is racist? Are these people serious? White Saviors? White Privilege? Outsiders? Maybe it's just me but I think these morons are reading into something that just isn't there and seeing racism in a light that is only shown when they inject their own racist view into a promotion that is trying to advocate unity.... while selling their soda, of course. As far as an "outside community" is concerned, maybe these people missed the fact that Coca-Cola has been in Mexico for nearly 90 years. Maybe they all just got confused because they ran out of fingers and toes to count that high. Those double digits past twenty can be hard for some people to grasp. Once again, 90 years! That's not an outside community....that's part of a community whether they like it or not. After that long something is telling me that Coca-Cola is not going anywhere.
Next, The Alliance for Food Health, a coalition of consumer rights and health groups has asked the Mexican government to ban the ad citing that it is "an attack on the dignity of indigenous people." Dianna Turner, a public relations representative for Consumer Power, a group in the alliance, stated "It's outrageous for the indigenous!" The alliance also claims the the ad contributes to the deteriorating health of Mexico's indigenous communities. Turns out, my loyal reader, that Mexico is a major consumer of soda and sugared drinks and has rapidly growing rates of diabetes and obesity. According to current studies, the average Mexican consumes over 43 gallons of soda per year with Coca-Cola controlling the majority of the market. So much for the "white savior", "white privilege" kids bringing a Coke the poor, underprivileged, indigenous people of Tototepec theory.... wouldn't you say? Especially since the people of this village seem to have more soda in their fridges than the "white hipsters" have in their cooler by one hundred fold at least. It also takes credence away from the "imposition of a culture of consumption" point preaching Pablo tried to sell us.
So just what is left for these people to gripe about? The tree? Most Mexicans do celebrate Christmas, last time I checked.... and Jose' Feliciano sang Feliz' Navidad...didn't he? Well...he is Puerto Rican so there may be some cultural differences....but he sang it in Spanish and both nationalities are majorly Christian, so it cant be religious discrimination. I admit that I wouldn't want that particular tree in my living room, but I have seen worse modern art. Do they feel that the white kids are mocking their culture because they drove up in an El Camino? There is the matter that some critics have pointed out that Coca-Cola did not back up their 81.6% rejection claim with a source. To be honest, I couldn't find, within my research, where they pulled that fact out from either, but just that alone can't be the root of all the outrage. It's all very confusing and falls from the realm of common sense for me. No matter what these racial malcontents have come up with about this ad there is no substantiating evidence to back up any of their claims.
When all the racial, discrimination, degrading, indigenous white noise fades, the problem that remains is pride. There's too much of it. Too many people, walking about, throwing their pride around about what particular race they are. Hispanic Pride, Black Pride, White Pride. Attitudes like these are what gets us into trouble with each other in the first place. The statements themselves are racist, but outside of one, are commonly accepted in society. There in lies the problem. When we accept and believe that we should be proud about the race we are it makes us appear to put one race above the other. We have to stop this way of thinking in order to achieve any progress as a species. And let me tell all of you that are toting around your "Whatever" Lives Matter banners something. "Children's Lives Matter" "Police Lives Matter" "Black Lives Matter" "Hispanic Lives Matter".....Makes me sick! And the reason it makes my stomach tie into racial etiquette knots is because All Lives Matter! These people just don't get it. Pro-active, asinine, racial propaganda crap that offers no solution and creates even larger gaps between us. We have to remove this segregated mind set from the "human" equation in order to achieve the proper solution to our racial problems. Once we realize that we are better off without our racial pride maybe then we won't get so upset over a soda commercial. Strictly an Observation. If you'll excuse me, I need a Pepsi.
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