Thread: Absolut Vodka's advertisement in Mexico

I sent an e-mail to Mr Moran and this was the response I received back.

My Email

Dear Mr Moran -

I am a bar owner in Southern California a VERY big sports bar where we serve Absolut Vodka. Please take note after seeing your "in an absolut world" advertisement I will NEVER EVER serve Absolut Vodka in my bar again EVER.

You can bet your sweet ass my establishment won't be the only one in this country 86ing the Absolut either. Well see what happens to you second quarter "profits" are reported.

Moran's response....

Our email system provides a view feature which allows us to read the email without opening and passing them on. We’ve read each and every email and noted them. We’ve worked with the office in Mexico to remove the billboard, and the ad ran in a magazine one time in January there; never again. See, once problems are raised, they can be fixed. It’s unfortunate that your attitude is so poor, as we do listen and pay attention to our consumers.
Jeffrey A. Moran

Corporate and Brand Communications

The Absolut Spirits Co., Inc.

401 Park Avenue South

New York, NY 10016

Originally Posted by iansmom

I sent an e-mail to Mr Moran and this was the response I received back.

My Email

Dear Mr Moran -

I am a bar owner in Southern California a VERY big sports bar where we serve Absolut Vodka. Please take note after seeing your "in an absolut world" advertisement I will NEVER EVER serve Absolut Vodka in my bar again EVER.

You can bet your sweet ass my establishment won't be the only one in this country 86ing the Absolut either. Well see what happens to you second quarter "profits" are reported.

Moran's response....

Our email system provides a view feature which allows us to read the email without opening and passing them on. We’ve read each and every email and noted them. We’ve worked with the office in Mexico to remove the billboard, and the ad ran in a magazine one time in January there; never again. See, once problems are raised, they can be fixed. It’s unfortunate that your attitude is so poor, as we do listen and pay attention to our consumers.
Jeffrey A. Moran

Corporate and Brand Communications

The Absolut Spirits Co., Inc.

401 Park Avenue South

New York, NY 10016

Do I detect an air of superiority?

All the more reason to 86 them.

Originally Posted by iansmom

I sent an e-mail to Mr Moran and this was the response I received back.

My Email

Dear Mr Moran -

I am a bar owner in Southern California a VERY big sports bar where we serve Absolut Vodka. Please take note after seeing your "in an absolut world" advertisement I will NEVER EVER serve Absolut Vodka in my bar again EVER.

You can bet your sweet ass my establishment won't be the only one in this country 86ing the Absolut either. Well see what happens to you second quarter "profits" are reported.

Moran's response....

Our email system provides a view feature which allows us to read the email without opening and passing them on. We’ve read each and every email and noted them. We’ve worked with the office in Mexico to remove the billboard, and the ad ran in a magazine one time in January there; never again. See, once problems are raised, they can be fixed. It’s unfortunate that your attitude is so poor, as we do listen and pay attention to our consumers.
Jeffrey A. Moran

Corporate and Brand Communications

The Absolut Spirits Co., Inc.

401 Park Avenue South

New York, NY 10016

DID HE JUST CONDESCEND TO YOU AND CALL YOUR ATTITUDE POOR??? Grrrrrr. That makes me even want to fight them more.

Write him back and say this:
"Dear Mr. Moran,
Thank you, but my attitude is fine. It is PATRIOTIC. YOU ATTITUDE, Mr. Moran, is "I'll do anything for money, even sell my soul."
But, this is not about attitude. This is about a very poor management decision on your part, and as you can see from the outrage, it was INDEED A VERY POOR MANAGEMENT DECISION.
If the sales of Absolut in the USA drop after this, no doubt your Board of Directors will be looking for a head to fall. You can count on that.
Have a wonderful day."

Wow that says it all. These conglomorations feel they can do as they please. This simply indicates that Absolut felt they could mock Americans, stab right into our sensibilities and feel absolutely 0 reprecussions.

If he is stating that they took care of it because it was a problem, how could he not know it would cause such a problem in the first place. The answer to that is that Mr. Moran is directly connected to the Hispanic business community:

ABSOLUT(R) VODKA Brings the Ultimate Bar to the 6th Annual Latin GRAMMY(R) After-Party
PR Newswire
Advertisement



NEW YORK, Nov. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ABSOLUT(R) Vodka, the official Spirit of this year's Latin GRAMMY(R), will add its distinctive sense of style and fun to the official Latin GRAMMY after-party with the illuminated ABSOLUT(R) BAR. The after-party will feature a true ABSOLUT experience -- from the drinks to the decor to the partygoers. The statuesque and dazzling Sofia Vergara will blaze through the party with Award winning Latin Hip-Hop band Akwid. This trio will spice up the party while ABSOLUT keeps the drinks flowing. THE ABSOLUT BAR will feature the latest "it" cocktails, including Atrevete, Coqueta and Antojo, as well as seven of ABSOLUT's evocative flavors. The celebration kicks off at 8:00 PM sharp on the glittery balcony of the Pacific Design Center, with views of Hollywood and beyond.

"Latin GRAMMYs and ABSOLUT(R) make the perfect duo; both celebrate Latin culture and musical achievement, which is why this marquee sponsorship is perfect for our brand. The ABSOLUT(R) BAR will complement the glamour of the evening's festivities," said Matthias Aeppli, Vice President of Marketing for the Absolut Spirits Company, Inc.

The 6th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards will be broadcast live on the Univision Network (8 p.m./7c) from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Nov. 3. The after-party will begin immediately following the show.

ABSOLUT(R) VODKA is a premium vodka and the third largest international spirits brand in the world. ABSOLUT continues to lead the flavored vodka segment with the first and third best selling brands, ABSOLUT CITRON(R) and ABSOLUT MANDRIN(R), respectively. Since the introduction of ABSOLUT PEPPAR(R) in 1986, its first flavored vodka, the ABSOLUT Family has continued to excite the category with flavors like ABSOLUT MANDARIN, ABSOLUT CITRON, ABSOLUT KURANT(R), ABSOLUT VANILIA(TM), ABSOLUT RASPBERRI(TM) and ABSOLUT APEACH. To maintain premium quality all ABSOLUT VODKA is made using a continuous distillation process and created from all natural ingredients in Ahus, Sweden.

About The Absolut Spirits Company, Inc.

The Absolut Spirits Company, Inc., headquartered in New York, is a subsidiary of V&S Group and operates under the auspices of V&S Absolut Spirits in Stockholm, which produces and markets ABSOLUT VODKA, ABSOLUT CUT, Level Vodka, DANZKA Vodka, FRIS Vodka and Plymouth Gin. The Absolut Spirits Company, Inc. imports ABSOLUT VODKA, Level, DANZKA Vodka and Plymouth Gin in the US and distributes the brands through FutureBrands LLC, a joint venture with Jim Beam Brands.

About the Latin Recording Academy

The Latin Recording Academy is an international, membership-based organization comprised of Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking recording artists, musicians, songwriters, producers and other creative and technical recording professionals. The organization is dedicated to improving the quality of life and cultural condition for Latin music and its makers. In addition to producing the Latin GRAMMY Awards to honor excellence in the recorded arts and sciences, The Latin Recording Academy provides educational and outreach programs for the Latin music community. For more information about The Latin Recording Academy, please visit http://www.grammy.com/.

http://www.absolut.com/. ENJOY WITH ABSOLUT RESPONSIBILITY(TM). Press Contacts: Jeffrey Moran Andrea Sahakian The Absolut Spirits Company Axis / The Multicultural Agency 212.641.8720 917.593.1397 jeffrey.moran@absolut.com asahakian@theaxisagency.comAbsolut Spirits Company, Inc.; Latin Recording Academy

Web site: http://www.absolut.com/

Web site: http://www.grammy.com/

Check out the bold print which mentions The Absolut Spirits Company Axis Multicultural Agency!

Here is the Link:
Hispanic Business Dot Com

If they page is taken down I have it archived.

Here is the online www.hispanicbusiness.com/news/2005/11/3/absolutr_vodka_brings_the_ultimate_bar.htm+Jeffrey +A.+Moran+absolut&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us]Google Archive[/url] Link as well.

Here is another Hispanic Business Article that combines Absolut with Ethnic Nationalist Socialists... They cannot say they were unaware of this and its implications.
LINK:
http://www.hispanicprwire.com/news.php? ... 238&cha=13

[quote] New York, NY--(HISPANIC PR WIRE)--October 10, 2006--Today, ABSOLUT VODKA announced its 2007 U.S. flavor “line-up,â€

Any business who utilizes the Axis Agency for their publishing I will boycott, it is as simple as that. Life is too short to eat from the spoon of racism.

iansmom,

You should write to Michelle Malkin and give her a copy of your correspondence and Moran's reply. Malkin is leading the charge against Absolut. Her website posted the comments of her readers and the responses they have gotten from Absolut.

Her email: writemalkin@gmail.com
Her website: http://michellemalkin.com/

You shouldn't let Moran get away with this, iansmom! He treated you really bad!! Michelle is one of the best fighers we have.

Ex_OC

From the non-apology apology:

This particular ad, which ran in Mexico and has run its course, was based upon historical perspectives and was created with a Mexican sensibility.

The following article states the Quien Magazine has over half a million readers in Mexico and THE SOUTHWESTERN U.S. so it did not run just in Mexico.

Time Warner apparently owns Quien magazine according to this article.

Time-Warner: Vodka Ad Campaign Reconquers California for Mexico
By Warner Todd Huston | April 3, 2008 - 09:23 ET

Taking the Reconquista concept all the way to the end, Absolut Vodka launched an ad campaign that appears on billboards and at least one magazine that features a map of the western U.S. and Mexico with nearly the entire west coast appearing as a part of Mexico. This ad appears in Quien Magazine, which is owned by Time Warner and also appears on billboards in Mexico. Quien claims a "total audience" of 513,000 readers in Mexico and the southwestern U.S.

The map covers what used to be Mexico's claimed borders before our 1846 war with them from which the U.S. took possession of California, Texas, New Mexico, etc. But, the ad shows those states as part of Mexico with the "Estados Unidos De America" situated to the north and east of the "Absolut World" Mexico.

In a day when immigration issues are incendiary between our two countries, Time Warner accepting ads that stirs Mexico's sentiments to "take back" parts of the U.S. (as the term Reconquista means) as their own territory is quite extraordinary.

One would think that such a hot button issue would have raised a few eyebrows with Time Warner? Even worse, this ad never raised a fuss with anyone even as ads for other products were pulled because of "offending" people.

Last year, a Snickers ad was pulled from airing on TV when gay activist groups complained that the ad, which showed two men eating a snickers and accidentally locking lips, was "offensive" to gays. A GoDaddy ad was pulled in 2005 for sexual content. A pro-life ad was even pulled in Ontario this year because the pro-life message was somehow "offensive."

Yet, an ad showing the west coast reconquered by Mexico doesn't raise a peep?

Michelle Malkin has a page on this, so does Hot Air, Snappedshot.com and Gateway Pundit, among others.

If you'd like to voice your concern to the importer of the alcohol, try V&S Group.

They can be reached at the follow email addresses:

Claes Ã…kesson, VP Corporate Responsibility - claes.akesson@vsgroup.com

Sofia Leffler Moberg, Manager Corporate Responsibility - sofia.leffler.moberg@vsgroup.com

Jacob Broberg, Senior Vice President V&S Corporate Affairs & Communications - jacob.broberg@vsgroup.com

Bengt Barron, CEO - bengt.barron@vsgroup.com

Contact information for Absolut:

Jeffrey Moran

Director of Public Relations and Events

The Absolut Spirits Company, Inc.

1370 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10019

USA

Phone, direct: +1 212 641 87 20

Link

Originally Posted by Chosen

Wow that says it all. These conglomorations feel they can do as they please. This simply indicates that Absolut felt they could mock Americans, stab right into our sensibilities and feel absolutely 0 reprecussions.

If he is stating that they took care of it because it was a problem, how could he not know it would cause such a problem in the first place. The answer to that is that Mr. Moran is directly connected to the Hispanic business community:

ABSOLUT(R) VODKA Brings the Ultimate Bar to the 6th Annual Latin GRAMMY(R) After-Party
PR Newswire
Advertisement



NEW YORK, Nov. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ABSOLUT(R) Vodka, the official Spirit of this year's Latin GRAMMY(R), will add its distinctive sense of style and fun to the official Latin GRAMMY after-party with the illuminated ABSOLUT(R) BAR. The after-party will feature a true ABSOLUT experience -- from the drinks to the decor to the partygoers. The statuesque and dazzling Sofia Vergara will blaze through the party with Award winning Latin Hip-Hop band Akwid. This trio will spice up the party while ABSOLUT keeps the drinks flowing. THE ABSOLUT BAR will feature the latest "it" cocktails, including Atrevete, Coqueta and Antojo, as well as seven of ABSOLUT's evocative flavors. The celebration kicks off at 8:00 PM sharp on the glittery balcony of the Pacific Design Center, with views of Hollywood and beyond.

"Latin GRAMMYs and ABSOLUT(R) make the perfect duo; both celebrate Latin culture and musical achievement, which is why this marquee sponsorship is perfect for our brand. The ABSOLUT(R) BAR will complement the glamour of the evening's festivities," said Matthias Aeppli, Vice President of Marketing for the Absolut Spirits Company, Inc.

The 6th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards will be broadcast live on the Univision Network (8 p.m./7c) from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Nov. 3. The after-party will begin immediately following the show.

ABSOLUT(R) VODKA is a premium vodka and the third largest international spirits brand in the world. ABSOLUT continues to lead the flavored vodka segment with the first and third best selling brands, ABSOLUT CITRON(R) and ABSOLUT MANDRIN(R), respectively. Since the introduction of ABSOLUT PEPPAR(R) in 1986, its first flavored vodka, the ABSOLUT Family has continued to excite the category with flavors like ABSOLUT MANDARIN, ABSOLUT CITRON, ABSOLUT KURANT(R), ABSOLUT VANILIA(TM), ABSOLUT RASPBERRI(TM) and ABSOLUT APEACH. To maintain premium quality all ABSOLUT VODKA is made using a continuous distillation process and created from all natural ingredients in Ahus, Sweden.

About The Absolut Spirits Company, Inc.

The Absolut Spirits Company, Inc., headquartered in New York, is a subsidiary of V&S Group and operates under the auspices of V&S Absolut Spirits in Stockholm, which produces and markets ABSOLUT VODKA, ABSOLUT CUT, Level Vodka, DANZKA Vodka, FRIS Vodka and Plymouth Gin. The Absolut Spirits Company, Inc. imports ABSOLUT VODKA, Level, DANZKA Vodka and Plymouth Gin in the US and distributes the brands through FutureBrands LLC, a joint venture with Jim Beam Brands.

About the Latin Recording Academy

The Latin Recording Academy is an international, membership-based organization comprised of Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking recording artists, musicians, songwriters, producers and other creative and technical recording professionals. The organization is dedicated to improving the quality of life and cultural condition for Latin music and its makers. In addition to producing the Latin GRAMMY Awards to honor excellence in the recorded arts and sciences, The Latin Recording Academy provides educational and outreach programs for the Latin music community. For more information about The Latin Recording Academy, please visit http://www.grammy.com/.

http://www.absolut.com/. ENJOY WITH ABSOLUT RESPONSIBILITY(TM). Press Contacts: Jeffrey Moran Andrea Sahakian The Absolut Spirits Company Axis / The Multicultural Agency 212.641.8720 917.593.1397 jeffrey.moran@absolut.com asahakian@theaxisagency.comAbsolut Spirits Company, Inc.; Latin Recording Academy

Web site: http://www.absolut.com/

Web site: http://www.grammy.com/

Check out the bold print which mentions The Absolut Spirits Company Axis Multicultural Agency!

Here is the Link:
Hispanic Business Dot Com

If they page is taken down I have it archived.

Here is the online www.hispanicbusiness.com/news/2005/11/3/absolutr_vodka_brings_the_ultimate_bar.htm+Jeffrey +A.+Moran+absolut&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us]Google Archive[/url] Link as well.

Chosen has this information gotten to Michelle Malkin?

Originally Posted by cayla99

I also think we should ad Time-Warner to the boycott, they were the ONLY magazine who printed the ad.

Doesn't Time Warner own CNN? That means we would have to boycott Lou.
I don't know about that idea.