Your one-stop shop for all things Latin/Hispanic/Mexican
Call me crazy, but when it comes to marketing sausages, chicken breast, bologna and other cold cuts, using the image of a flasher is not exactly a terrific idea.
I found the above Oscar Mayer ad in the latest issue of People en Español and while I was shocked to see an exhibicionista just there, exposing himself I was relieved to see he was “exhibiting” slices of turkey breast and not a giant wiener. Phew!
Photo: Laura Martínez (from People en Español)
I cannot help but think Raúl Salinas de Gortari is behind this –somehow.
Scary. But, heck, at least they’re gluten-free.
Photo: Laura Martínez, Harlem 2014
There is nothing more satisfying than lying down on your sofa with People en español a good piece of literature and come face to face with the improbable: A two-page commercial for SPAM jalapeño, featuring an enlarged photo of what SPAM thinks is Mexican food.
The ad -which takes a full-page plus a one-third vertical in the April 2014 issue of People en español, includes everything you’d come to expect from made-believe Mexican food advertisements in the U.S., namely a jalapeño, a lime, a couple of plastic cactai and -what else?- a photo of Sir Can-A-Lot proudly shaking a pair of maracas.
What’s more puzzling to me, though is: Why is this ad in English and… do they really think my people would go for it?
Earlier today, a couple of friends forwarded me a press release put out by Dallas-based Pizza Patrón pizza chain and urged me to do -or rather, write- something about it. The headline was attractive enough for me to pay attention:
Pizza Patrón Censored for Speaking ‘Mexican’
At the heart of the matter was the refusal of “a number” of Spanish-language radio stations to air an upcoming radio spot for Pizza Patron’s new jalapeño-stuffed pizza. The reason? The name of such pizza, “La chingona” apparently does not sit well among executives at the radio stations and is considered un-apt for the good ol’ Latino family.
My immediate reaction was: Really?!?… Actually, that’s not accurate: My immediate reaction was: ¡No chinguen!
As a native of Mexico City, I grew up listening -and learning to master- all forms and variations of the noun chingada and the verb chingar. See? Growing up in Mexico, you don’t say “Damn it!” when things don’t go according to plan, you say Me lleva la chingada. Same when someone is getting on your case, you don’t ask him/her to bugger off, but instead say Chinga tu madre. When you are supremely awesome and superior (i.e. like yours truly) you simply say Soy muy chingona… etc. etc. The concept is so wonderfully rich, that even Octavio Paz wrote an entire essay about la chingada: Los hijos de la Malinche.
But I digress… According to the aforementioned press release, Pizza Patrón was informed that its new ad campaign “would not be permitted to air on a number of major radio networks,” because the word chingona is considered a profanity and presumably would offend the Great Catholic -and Well-Behaved- Latino Family in America.
Oh so let me understand: The point is to forbid words like chingón or chingona on the basis that they offend consumers of Hispanic media; never mind we’re talking about some of the same media outlets that give us an almost naked TV host going into a hot tub with a scantily-clad celebrities at 4:00 PM (family time); a celebrity judge –in primetime– cross-examining a guy who loves to paint with his… penis and a sensationalist daily show hosted by a lawyer-turned-TV-star known for using poor people and humiliate them in the name of ratings.
Readers of my blog know I’m not fast-food’s best friend. In fact, I live a somehow happy life free of frito-stuffed sandwiches or jalapeño-stuffed pizzas. But to cry “profanity” for using a harmless, beautiful word like chingona in an ad campaign to tout a “chingona pizza” just makes me want to scream:
Seriously, people, this blog cannot get enough “Mexican food” nonsense.
Just when I thought the height of ridiculousness had been reached with the Frito-stuffed Chicken Enchilada Melt and/or the Dori Taco, comes the Quesarito, a Quesadilla/Burrito hybrid.
According to Los Angeles Times –and for reasons I yet have to comprehend– the Quesarito is being tested only in Oklahoma City, presumably because Oklahomans were all cool about it and couldn’t tell the difference between one bad wrap and the other.
Also according to the L.A. Times, the Quesarito might not see the light of day outside Oklahoma. Thank God.
Three Twins Ice Cream, a company I never heard of but I think it’s on an awesome path to success, has partnered with Sergio Romo, a closer for the San Francisco Giants, to launch Sergio Romo’s Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream, which will be marketed -naturally- under the only possible tagline: It Only Tastes Illegal.
While I applaud the efforts of Three Twins Ice Cream to launch a Mexican/illegal-themed thing, I would be more inclined to try a Sergio Romo’s Peyote Popsicle or even a Sergio Romo’s Mota Cone. But… chocolate and cinnamon?
Meh!
Hat tip: Mi Blog es tu Blog SF correspondent: Kent German
Upon successfully screwing up Mexican and Colombian food, McDonald’s goes to Europe to ruin Catalan cuisine.
Photo: Laura Martínez, Barcelona (2014)
I have no idea what these people are saying, but this spot makes me want to go grab a tamal (tamal, NOT tamale) right now.
If you thought Subway’s Fritos Chicken Enchilada Melt was as culturally relevant as the fast-food chain was going to get, think again.
In the latest example that Hispanic-targeted marketing knows no limits, Subway Restaurants this week announced a partnership with Univision to “seamlessly integrate Subway products and restaurants into Televisa’s hit telenovela Qué pobres tan ricos (Poor, But Rich).
The first integration, say the partners, will show one of the characters surprising another with a Subway $5 Footlong.
Per a joint Univision-Subway press release:
“This integration allows us to reach Hispanic audiences in an engaging and authentic way,” says Gabriela Mangieri Harper, multicultural marketing manager at Subway.
Because everybody knows that, to effectively reach Hispanic audiences, there is nothing more authentic than a Fritos Chicken Enchilada Melt
Have you ever felt compelled to rate the deliciousness of a burrito? I’m sure you have, so I have good news for you: Some basket case guy in Chicago set up a Kickststarter page to fund The Burrito Graph Project, whose ultimate goal is to rate the deliciousness of a Chipotle burrito and create a graph to express said deliciousness.
The genius behind this very important endeavor is Noboru Bitoy, who assures us he did not receive any support from the Chipotle chain (where the Burrito Graph Project was conducted). Instead, he successfully raised $171, which made possible the completion of the project.
All we have to do now is sit tight and wait until March, which is when the Deliciousness Burrito Graphic is expected to be posted in all its glory.
Via: CNET
Only one day after I discovered -in horror- the existence of the Frito-stuffed Chicken Enchilada Melt, I learned that Pringles is quietly introducing a a new line of chips called Pringles Tortillas.
In case you’re wondering, (I’m sure you are) the Pringles tortilla chips come in three flavors: Truly Original, Nacho Cheese, and Southwestern Ranch. You might also want to know (I do) that Walmart also carries “Zesty Salsa” as an exclusive flavor.
To promote the Pringles Tortillas, the company is using the tagline Pop, Crunch, Olé! because as everybody knows, “Olé” is a typical Spanish expression that Spanish-speaking people in Spanish-speaking Spain use while enjoying a really good tortilla…
Oh, no… Wait.
Never mind.
And just when I thought American “food” couldn’t get any more delicious and/or culturally-relevant, Subway has launched yet another disgusting awesome Hispanic-themed, culturally-relevant crunchy concoction.
According to the company, the Fritos Chicken Enchilada Melt, which debuted this weekend in my neighborhood, consists of “a pile of Fritos placed right on top of tender pulled chicken and authentic enchilada sauce.” Hell, yeah!
I’m not even sure what “authentic enchilada sauce” is (we don’t have that in Mexico, see?) but this sandwich is apparently so promising, that Subway had to squeeze a last-minute :30-spot (estimated US$4 million) to place a spot aptly dubbed Crunch Time to air during tonight’s Super Bowl.
I hope you enjoy your Super Bowl Sunday, even if you have to do so with non-Mexican, greasy, crunchy “food.”
Hat tip: Mi Blog es Tu Blog Tropical Correspondent @tropicarlitos
I kind of like it when gringos go out of their way and tweak their menus and snacks to cater to “a more diverse America.”
Thanks to their relentless search for multicultural tasty perfection, we now have the Dunkin Donuts’ culturally-relevant Cuban sandwich, 7-Eleven’s Latin-inspired food and the millennial-targeted Doritos Dinamita to name only a few.
And now a new contender has arrived: Frito Lay’s Pico de Gallo flavored chips, which I’m sure will help the m lure the taste buds of my people (i.e. The Mexicans).
But if you are in the restaurant business, don’t think these papitas will help you lure more Hispanics to your establishment… This will, though. Enjoy the windfall.
Thank you @minsd for the tip.
This might sound a bit cliché, but living in New York truly gives you the best of both worlds: Park Avenue class with authentic Mexican food and drinks.
Photo: Laura Martínez
I just love it when business writers and business journals on the business of writing meaningless business pieces give business owners advice on how to attract more Hispanic customers to their, ahem, businesses.
Take the Orlando Business Journal, whose appropriately-named Latino spin-off (Latino Business Journal) recently walked us through 4 tips to get more Hispanics into your restaurant.
Among the earth shattering insights shared by presumably non-Hispanic writer Hernan Tagliani:
Make it a pleasant, relatable experience. […] Fresh, healthy ingredients, along with quality and service are very important factors.
Because, as everybody knows, non-Hispanics love to dine out in unpleasant, un-relatable places, where they can stuff themselves with canned foods and unhealthy ingredients.
Thank you, Orlando Business Journal, for the insight!
MI BLOG ES TU BLOG 