The Sweedish maker of Absolut vodka is running an ad campaign in Mexico that features a map of North America as it existed before the US LEGALLY obtained territories that once belonged to Mexico. The map has the words In an Absolut world across it. The whole idea is to play to the Mexican market and get the tequila drinkers to drink more Absolut vodka.
Unfortunately, the ad is an insult to the United States and has caused an uproar among those who have seen it, many of whom vow to never drink Absolut again. I don’t like the ad but there is a part of the associated story that indicates those in the South West might be offended but the rest of us are unaware of history and that assumption bothers me more. I guess they mean the revised history that says we stole this land rather than acquiring it through war or by purchasing it.
I hope that Absolut knows what it is doing because it seems to me that there are more customers here to lose than there are there to gain. In the real world the market makes the choices and Americans can absolutely hurt the vodka company more than Mexico can help it.
