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Absolut apologizes for offensive ad
Sweden’s Absolut vodka has apologized for an ad campaign that ran in Mexico showing a map of the border of Mexico and the U.S. as it existed in the 1830s before Mexico lost the territory in the 1848 Mexican-American War.
“In no way was it meant to offend or disparage, nor does it advocate an altering of borders, nor does it lend support to any anti-American sentiment, nor does it reflect immigration issues,” Absolut said in a statement left on its consumer inquiry phone line.
The ad, below, which ran in Mexico showing a map of the border of Mexico and the United States where it stood before the Mexican-American War of 1848 — depicting the Southwest as part of Mexico. The Absolut vodka company later issued an apology.
The Associated Press article went on to say: Absolut said the ad was designed for a Mexican audience and intended to recall “a time which the population of Mexico might feel was more ideal … As a global company, we recognize that people in different parts of the world may lend different perspectives or interpret our ads in a different way than was intended in that market, and for that we apologize.” Vin & Sprit, Absolut’s Sweden-based parent company, will be acquired by French spirit maker Pernod Ricard SA under a deal reached last week.
Read the entire article here. The New York Times recently ran an article on Absolut’s recent advertising woes looking at an ad campaign that started in 1981 and ran strong for 25 years. They have recently changed advertising strategies twice in the last 15 months. Read more here.
Still, Absolut has some of the best ads of any spirits or beer company out there. Go to www.absolutads.com/ and see for yourself.
With the immigration issues being what they are right now, what are your thoughts on this ad campaign? Our take: ABSOLUT-ly bad taste. We’re guessing if enough folks hear about this it could affect sales in the U.S.
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