Coca-Cola unintentionally brewed up some controversy when it released an ad showing young people in Mexico seeking to spread Christmas cheer to a native community.
The ad has very much the look and feel of the types of ads the soft drink giant releases in the U.S. during the holidays. In it, model-like, in some instances fair-skinned, young people are seen joyfully working in a wood shop before they load up their materials in a Camino pickup truck and head for the mountains.
“This Christmas a group of young people decided to give something very special to the indigenous community of Totontepec (Villa) de Morelos in Oaxaca. You, too, open your heart,” Coca-Cola says in the #AbreTuCorazon (“Open Your Heart”) ad.
The ad notes that 81.6 percent of Mexico’s indigenous people feel rejected for speaking a language other than Spanish.
The youths show up in the community of Totontepec and build a red tree with Coca-Cola lights with the words “We Will Stay United” in the indigenous Mixe language. The villagers seem to appreciate the gesture and share a Coke and a smile a Coke feel good moment.
Que es la problema? (What is the problem?) “This type of publicity is an act of discrimination and racism,” Elvira Pablo, an indigenous lawyer, said at a press conference in Mexico City on Wednesday. “It is a comment on our type of life and an attempt to put a culture of consumerism in its place.”
Many took to social media to slam the ad, as well.
White saviors bring Indigenous Mexicans @CocaCola & an art installation, racism solved. smh #pincheCocaCola https://t.co/7Rs1jGO2fo
— Indigenous Chicana (@AngryChicana) November 30, 2015
Watch Coca-Cola use white privilege to sell Coke to indigenous Mexicans…. https://t.co/kR3vBQ5w9Q pic.twitter.com/51pSCXKPaD
— Laura Martínez ® (@miblogestublog) November 26, 2015
This white-savior mentality is RACIST!! Coke exploiting Mexicans is not fighting discrimination. It’s fueling it. https://t.co/YVXyxmEYuq — Rex (@CarelessRex) December 2, 2015
Coke, under the onslaught of negative feedback, decided to pull the ad last week, explaining in a statement to Eater:
As part of Coca-Cola México’s Christmas campaign for this year the video “Mixe Community Totontepec” was launched on digital channels, seeking to convey a message of unity and joy. Our intention was never to be insensitive to or underestimate any indigenous group.
We have now removed the video and apologize to anyone who may have been offended. In nearly 90 years in the country, Coca-Cola Mexico has worked to share messages of unity and friendship to contribute to build a society free of prejudices.
h/t: The Gateway Pundit