Absolut’s ‘Mexico U.S.’ Map Angers Many
Monday, April 14, 2008 12:38 PM
http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/A...mo_code=493C-1
An organization fighting illegal immigration has launched a boycott of Absolut vodka after the Swedish company ran an ad showing large areas of the U.S. as part of Mexico.
A map in the ad depicts Mexico owning California, Texas, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and other U.S. territory, with the slogan, “In an Absolut World,” and panders to the “separatist” movement among Mexicans, according to the National Illegal Immigration Boycott Coalition (NIIBC).
“There is a rapidly growing separatist movement in the United States that is being fueled by illegal immigration across our southern border with Mexico,” the group said in a statement.
“While many in the American media try to ignore or play down the threat, this radical movement is much stronger than most Americans know and global companies like Absolut are trying to cash in on it.
“Sentiments that the Southwest United States rightfully belong to Mexico are so prevalent in Mexico and among illegal aliens that the Absolut vodka company ran this ad on a billboard and in a Mexican magazine.”
The ad’s message to the Mexican audience is, “In an Absolut (i.e., Perfect) world, one-third of the U.S. is returned to Mexican control,” according to the NIIBC, which represents more than 100 civic organizations fighting for secure borders and immigration enforcement.
Americans for Legal Immigration (ALIPAC) issued a statement declaring: “Over 100 American organizations dedicated to border security and the enforcement of existing immigration laws launched a nationwide boycott of Absolut vodka in response to their ad that ran in Mexico, which panders to a rising separatist movement inside the U.S. that is being fueled by illegal immigration.”
ALIPAC said in another statement: “History was made when American-made SKYY vodka sent out a press release proudly supporting the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and criticizing Absolut for their offensive advertising in Mexico.”
The Treaty ended the Mexican War and gave the U.S. control of California, Nevada and Utah plus parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado. The map in the Absolut ad shows Mexico controlling even more U.S. territory than that.
SKYY vodka spokesman Dave Karraker said: “Like SKYY vodka, the residents of states like California, Texas and Arizona are exceptionally proud of the fact that they are from the United States of America. To imply that they might be interested in changing their mailing address, as our competitor seems to be suggesting in their advertising, is a bit presumptuous.”
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