I didn't write about Absolut Vodka's idiotic reconquista ad -- Michelle covered that topic thoroughly -- but needless to say, like most Americans I thought it was Absolut Bullshit. Many Mexicans already feel like the United States is their land which we owe to them anyways -- as much as liberals like to deny that reconquista exists -- without needing some Swedish vodka company to encourage that attitude. In any case, I believe in the free market, and if Absolut wants to run some stupid ad like the "In an Absolut World" ad depicting a map before the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, the Gadsen Purchase, and the independence of Texas, then they should absolut-ly be allowed to. However, they then have no right to complain when Americans decide not to buy their products because of it.
Anyways, SKYY Vodka has released a statement concerning the controversial ad:
SKYY® Vodka, Made in the USA, Proudly Supports Treaty of Guadalupe HidalgoAmerica's Most-Popular Domestic Vodka Decries Absolut® Vodka's Suggestion to Redraw North American Map
SAN FRANCISCO-(BUSINESS WIRE)- In 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo officially ended the Mexican-America War (1846-1848). With the signing of this treaty, the United States gained control of what was to become the Golden West, including California, Arizona, Utah, Nevada and parts of Colorado and New Mexico. Today, SKYY® Vodka, the number-one vodka produced in the United States, spoke out against suggestions by Absolut® Vodka to disregard that treaty, as well as the joining of Texas to the Union in 1845, as depicted in Absolut's recent advertising.
"Like SKYY Vodka, the residents of states like California, Texas and Arizona are exceptionally proud of the fact that they are from the United States of America," said Dave Karraker, SKYY Vodka. "To imply that they might be interested in changing their mailing addresses, as our competitor seems to be suggesting in their advertising, is a bit presumptuous."
In the ad, an "Absolut World" is depicted where the map of North America is re-drawn with Mexico claiming much of the Western United States, negating the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, as well as the Gadsden Purchase (1853), and the independence of Texas (1836).
"Don't get me started on the Gadsden Purchase," continues Karraker. "I think the folks in Tucson and Yuma would be rubbed the wrong way if they hear this landmark deal was somehow nullified as suggested by Absolut, a Swedish-owned brand."
SKYY Vodka was founded in San Francisco in 1992 and continues to be produced in the United States. Premium SKYY Vodka is made from American grain carefully selected from the Midwest and 100% pure filtered water. SKYY's proprietary four-column distillation and three-step filtration process consistently ensures exceptional quality. SKYY Vodka products include luxury SKYY90® and new SKYY Infusions™, a unique, all-natural infused experience made with premium SKYY Vodka and succulent real fruit.
Let's raise a toast to that.
From now on, whenever I have any drink with vodka in it, I'll make sure it's SKYY. You should do the same.
Kim adds: I've always been a Grey Goose girl, but I'm with Cassy here. Good for SKYY for stepping in and pushing back against the Reconquista movement. From now on it's SKYY for my vodka martinis.
Hat Tip: Michelle Malkin




Comments (9)
Are we so insecure about ou... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Bill Jempty | April 12, 2008 12:52 PM | Score: -8 (10 votes cast)
Are we so insecure about our borders we feel threatened by a vodka advertisement? If you think I'm off my rocker, another conservative blogger is with me.
1. Posted by Bill Jempty | April 12, 2008 12:52 PM |
Score: -8 (10 votes cast)
Posted on April 12, 2008 12:52
2. Posted by cirby | April 12, 2008 1:51 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Not so much "threatened" as mildly insulted.
And one of the things you should keep in mind when selling a product is that, if you're going to use mild insults to sell a product, you should make sure that the market is made up of more people on the OTHER side of the insult than of people being offended.
So while Absolut tried to use this campaign to sell a bit more vodka to Mexico, Skyy chose (correctly) to aim their press release at the much, much bigger market of "people in the US who get really tired of being harped on by every special interest group someone can bring up."
...and until you've been screamed at (yes, literally) by a reconquista fanatic who thinks Mexico should own all of that land and that all of the whites AND blacks should be kicked out of the territory, you really don't have a clue.
A somewhat similar marketing campaign would be if someone tried to sell things in the South with a hood-wearing Klansman standing in front of a burning cross, and the subtitle "let's take our land back."
2. Posted by cirby | April 12, 2008 1:51 PM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on April 12, 2008 13:51
3. Posted by Oyster | April 12, 2008 4:45 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Like I said in the last post about this, suppose they ran a similar ad for, say, Israel. But we all know that would NEVER happen.
I don't feel the least bit "threatened" by the ad. But I'll tell you - I'm sick and tired of the same old crap that insulting America and Americans is so fashionable these days. And as far as I'm concerned, Absolut can cram it. You'll never find another bottle of it in my house.
Just how "fashionable" would it be if Cuervo thought that in order to reach a bigger market in France, they showed the borders of France expanded to the dimensions it held in the days of Napoleon? How would their neighbors like them apples?
3. Posted by Oyster | April 12, 2008 4:45 PM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on April 12, 2008 16:45
4. Posted by HughS | April 12, 2008 7:26 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
I'm not threatened by the ad, Bill. But to echo Oyster's comment, I'm tired of how fashionable it has become to insult our country.
To take her comparison one step further, let's redraw a map for a Japanese product that includes Nanking. Or Iwo...in an Absolut world.
The obnoxious and offensive Absolut ad is , in minature, the world view held by elite fashionistas. Thankfully, for some of us, Skyy Vodka saw an opening and delivered an erudite, informed and wickedly funny response that laid bare the hypocrisy and ignorance of the Absolut fashionistas. Come to think of it, the folks at Skyy served up an Absolut(ely) perfect martini.
4. Posted by HughS | April 12, 2008 7:26 PM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on April 12, 2008 19:26
5. Posted by Mitchell | April 12, 2008 10:50 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Skyy just made the top of my vodka list.
5. Posted by Mitchell | April 12, 2008 10:50 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on April 12, 2008 22:50
6. Posted by Imhotep | April 13, 2008 12:46 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Skyy in the big blue bottle.....cheap, made in the USA and NO Hangover, because of the filtration process that removes all of the impurities!
sold at Sam's club, not at Costco......I don't know why.
6. Posted by Imhotep | April 13, 2008 12:46 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on April 13, 2008 00:46
7. Posted by Jo | April 13, 2008 12:56 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Only Skyy for me from now on!
7. Posted by Jo | April 13, 2008 12:56 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on April 13, 2008 00:56
8. Posted by Daniel | April 13, 2008 3:14 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
while i appreciate skyy's position on this, my vodka of choice is stoli.
8. Posted by Daniel | April 13, 2008 3:14 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on April 13, 2008 03:14
9. Posted by sanssoucy | April 13, 2008 8:15 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Pff. If Mexico owned the entire United States, the only real difference is that Mexicans would be sneaking across the Canadian border to escape the third-world shithole they built.
9. Posted by sanssoucy | April 13, 2008 8:15 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on April 13, 2008 08:15