Marketing Executives to be Immersed in Culture and Diversity… at a Miami Supermarket

Unlike regular Publix, Publix Sabor sells papas, refrescos and frijoles, instead of potato chips, sodas and beans.

Hispanic marketers and agencies are heading this weekend to Miami for the ANA Multicultural Marketing & Diversity Annual Conference.

And what better way to showcase diversity than immersing attendees to a genuine Hispanic experience?  Organizers have partnered with AHAA, to take attendees to a Cultural Immersion Tour, which, according to the agenda:

[…] will start at Publix Super Market’s 61,000-sq. ft. SABOR store in Hialeah, where attendees will sample an assortment of Hispanic Publix Deli plates.  Store management will guide small groups of attendees through the various departments and highlight products, such as Publix’ line of Hispanic brand products.”

For reasons I have yet to comprehend, this blogger has NOT been invited to such Cultural Feast, but perhaps things will change when they realize I actually go into full Mexican gear when cooking and stuff.

We’ll see.

Why I Will Never Identify with Disney’s ‘Latina’ Princess

I was totally going to pass on the whole “Disney has a Latino princess” “news.” But then I saw the “outrage” coming out from Latino-defense groups, including the Latino Coalition of Latino Groups that Defend Latino Things and Get Totally Pissed at Latino things on Mainstream Media… and other similar outlets.

The last straw came when NBC News’ Natalie Morales came out to say that she totally feels identified by Sofía, which made me get up from my afternoon siesta and take a stand, literally.

I feel duped. How on Earth am I supposed to feel identify with Sofía if, –according to Disney’s executives themselves– she is half-Enchancian and half-Galdizian, and I’m only half-chilanga and half-tapatía?

Can somebody please explain?

Disney Thinks Latinos Like to Dance Cumbia While in Disney

Last time I checked, Latino families and their multiple mocosos loved to go to the Magic Kingdom of Disney to sing, dance and ride along with their non-Hispanic counterparts. But as a gesture to its growing Hispanic clientele, Disney Latino has produced a super-terrific, culturally-relevant video celebrating Hispanic Heritage.

I personally prefer this other Disney-themed cumbia.

But, heck, that’s me!

hat tip: @latinorebels

Hispanic Marketing Reaches New Low With the Pepsi-Branded Mariachi

I did not attend this year’s Hispanic Retail 360 conference, nor am I claiming ownership of this photo. A loyal follower of this blog sent it to me thinking I would have a good chuckle.

I didn’t really laugh, though I kind of choked on my Hispanic Gatorade.

[Somebody should really tell Pepsi we don’t really brand our mariachis in Mexico. Thank you for cooperation.]

Comedy Central’s Idea of ‘Funny’ is a Bunch of Mexicans Competing in a Siesta Contest

You guys know I’m all up for funny & irreverence. But there are things that -when done badly- are just not really that funny.

Take this commercial via Wieden + Kennedy Sao Paulo, Brazil, which actually made it to the short list of Cannes and pitches Comedy Central as a TV channel “as serious as we are.” It kicks off with the following copy:

“Between 1 pm and 3 pm in the afternoon, there are more people taking siestas, than there are people working in Latin America.”

Here’s the video. Watch (if you’re not busy taking a siesta, that is) and tell me what you think. Funny? Hilarious? Not so much? Dumb? *

*Do leave a comment. Don’t be lazy like a Latin American!

Sombrero tip: @adictivomag

Is Your Home Becoming Dirtier by the Minute? ¡Cuidado! You Might be an Acculturated Latino

Clorox seems to know a thing or two about the cleaning habits of my people (i.e. Hispanics.)

The company that informed us that cleaning is a “rite of passage” for Latino women, now wants you to know that such speckless tradition dies off as we acculturate.

Let me explain. Or, rather, let’s hear it directly from David Cardona, Clorox multicultural marketing chief, as he recently told AdAge:

“As Hispanics become more acculturated, they still maintain similar cleaning habits, even though they clean less […] For instance, he said less acculturated Hispanics index at 140, meaning they clean 40% more than non-Hispanics. That index declines as they become more acculturated, and hits 100, or the same as non-Hispanics, for the most acculturated Hispanic consumers.”

Mind you. This fascinating discussion comes á propos of Clorox launching a new line of Hispanic-targeted line of cleaning products, which, for reasons this blogger cannot fully comprehend, is called Clorox Fraganzia.

I mean, prior to my being acculturated, I used to say “fragancia,” as we say in proper Spanish. But you never know. Perhaps the dirt that abounds in my acculturated Latino home has messed up my vocabulary as well.

This ‘App’ is so Mexican, it Spells ‘Menu’ With an ‘ñ’

On the hunt for fake Mexican food? There’s an app for that!

Some genius in the applications world has come up with the Mexican Food app, which according to its creators will teach you the ingredients of every burrito and help you navigate to nearby taquerías. Because as everybody knows, Mexican food is all about burritos and tacos.

Judging from some screenshots available (I have better things to do with my $0,99) one can tell the creators of the app went the extra mile to make sure things were properly spelled in Spanish –or at least pretend to know how to spell words in make-believe Spanish, such as “meñu.”

More on the Growing Career Choices for Latinas

With Latinas rapidly making it as star maids in Hollywood, it was only natural that other professional opportunities would arise.

Enter the Lubbock Fantasy Maid Service, in Lubbock, Texas, offering “nude and topless maid services.”

How much are these sexified maids, anyway? Customers pay $100 an hour for one maid and $150 an hour for two maids, and “if the customer wants his or her maids to be completely nude, all he/she has to do is ask.”

With Hispanics representing 32% of the population of Lubbock, Texas, I’m sure Latinas are part of this company’s sexy offering, in which case all this blogger asks for is a fair treatment (i.e. please do not call the migra on them; at least not while they are cleaning in their undies.)

Gulf of Mexico to be Renamed Gulf of America

Remember the Absolut brouhaha?

Remember the Alamo?

Well, none of those contentious binational wars would ever come close to what’s looming behind a moronic proposition to rename the Gulf of Mexico as Gulf of America. The brilliant idea popped into the head of State Rep. Steve Holland of Mississippi, most likely because there’s not a lot to do in  Mississippi, so people have plenty of time to think over important stuff.

I couldn’t make this up… even if I tried.

State Rep. Steve Holland (D) has introduced HB 150, which says that “for all official purposes within the state of Mississippi, the body of water located directly south of Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties shall be known as the ‘Gulf Of America’; and for related purposes.”

So from now on and without further ado, I am going to go choke on my café americano, ahem, café mexicano.
Hat tip: Bathtub Media