Absolut PR nightmare

April 11, 2008

absolut.jpgYou might have heard about a recent ad by Absolut Vodka. I’ll let the AP explain:

“The campaign, which promotes ideal scenarios under the slogan ‘In an Absolut World,’ showed a 1830s-era map when Mexico included California, Texas and other southwestern states. Mexico still resents losing that territory in the 1848 Mexican-American War and the fight for Texas independence.”

The ad ran only in Mexico and — not that shockingly — stimulated a bit of American anger over immigration concerns with the U.S./Mexico border. Americans for Legal Immigration PAC (ALIPAC) began a Web site calling for a boycott of Absolut. The company has since apologized and withdrawn the ad.

But the boycott lives on. SKYY Vodka, one of Absolut’s competitors, has — also not that shockingly — come out in favor of the boycott, drawing praise in a release from ALIPAC spokesman William Gheen.

“I like SKYY Vodka!”, said William Gheen. “It is great to be able to have an occasional martini without contributing to a Global corporation, like Absolut, that is encouraging the invasion of my nation.”

Personally, I think that would look great on a t-shirt or bumper sticker. I also love it when a modern company such as SKYY comes out in support of the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. (I’ve always wondered about Procter & Gamble’s opinion of the 1814 Treaty of Ghent.)

And here’s the point in the blog post where I admit looking at the ad and not understanding the fuss. “What a neat old map,” I thought. Didn’t even notice the immigration issue. Maybe it’s because I’m a gin guy.

What are your thoughts on the ad and the various responses to it?

JOE BACCHUS, Web Specialist

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Posted by Jackie Sauter | Filed Under business, immigration, public relations 

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