A 'Racist' Coca Cola Christmas Ad in Mexico Disappears from YouTube Nathaniel Janowitz - VICE News
go to original December 3, 2015

Coca-Cola Ad Sparks Controversy in Mexico Over Treatment of Indigenous People (AJ+)

Indigenous rights and consumer rights activists are demanding sanctions against Coca Cola Mexico for an advertisement in which a group of pale-skinned and obviously affluent young people roll into an indigenous town to build a Christmas tree for wide-eyed locals.

"This type of publicity is an act of discrimination and racism," indigenous lawyer Elvira Pablo told 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 it's place."

Pablo and the other activists called on Mexico's governmental anti-discrimination commission to open a case against the ad. "The ad," a statement said, "reproduces and reinforces stereotypes of indigenous people as culturally and racially subordinate."

The ad received biting criticism as soon as it began circulating on social media a week ago, but the controversy ballooned after it was picked up by mainstream local media this week. It suddenly disappeared from YouTube on Tuesday night.

Read the rest at VICE News

Related: Mexico’s Anti-Discrimination Agency Investigates Coca-Cola for ‘Racist’ Christmas Ad (GlobalPost)

Related: Coca-Cola Co Apologises for Mexico Christmas Ad (just-drinks)

Related: Coca-Cola Ad in Mexico Attacked for Insensitivity to Indigenous Rights and Health (VCPost)

Related: Coca-Cola Funded Non-Profit for Fighting Obesity is Disbanding (or-politics.com)

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