hmprvwcojones.jpgThere was a lot of hype around Volkswagen’s bilingual (semi) Latino-targeted campaign (which featured, among other ad copy, the words “Turbo Cojones”) before it launched. Now that it’s live, apparently it’s offending people:

Volkswagen’s intent was to pitch the sporty, fast car, which has a sticker price starting at $23,000, to young, bilingual Hispanics whose first language is English but who retain ties to their Latino heritage. “We wanted something that broke out of the mold and carried the connotation of being strong and gutsy,” says Daniel Marrero, creative director for the Miami-based agency, CreativeOndemanD, that came up with the ad. “This is a word adapted in the American vernacular. We never thought it would be an issue.”

Oops.

But it quickly became one, as billboard companies honed in on the possibility that the word would be offensive not to English speakers, but Spanish speakers. Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings Inc. refused to put up the ad in Miami. “It wasn’t appropriate,” said a spokeswoman for Clear Channel. She said the local manager, who has veto power over ad content, had nixed the billboard.

First of all, I feel that the heat is unjustified here, but that’s just my personal opinion, as a progressive Spanish-speaking person. I think to hone in on the problem you’ve got to look at why the word “cojones” was chosen, and the answer is, more than likely, because VW wanted to kill two birds with one stone: market to bilingual Latinos and “smart” non-Latinos as well.

Personally, having spent so many years surrounded by Mexicans who use vulgar words to pepper conversation left and right, I am surprised by the response from Cuban Miamians. But therein lies the key to all of this: you think “I’ll write something in Spanish, and Latinos will relate and respond”.

Not so fast. What’s funny for a Mexican may not be funny at all for an Argentine, and what’s funny for an Argentine may have zero meaning to a Cuban. The lesson to be learned in all of this (I know, I’ve preached this before) is that one cannot be naive and think that Latinos are this huge homogenous group. The fact is, in some cases, very few things tie certain Latino communities to others — which can be, among others: language, history (Spanish conquest), and at times religion — I know people from South America who see absolutely no connection with say, Mexicans, beyond those three traits.

Does this mean you need to tailor your message distinctly for each group? No, it just means you need to be smart about what you’re putting out there.

Unfortunately, VW is pulling the ad in Miami due to pressure:

“Our marketing department said let’s go ahead and pull it,” said Steve Keyes, a spokesman for Volkswagen’s U.S. headquarters at Auburn Hills, Mich.

Unfortunate because this kind of reactionary thinking sends the message that Latinos aren’t hip or cutting edge, and reinforces the idea that the community must be talked down to.

Interestingly (but not surprisingly, if you subscribe to my thinking) there were no complaints about the ad in New York (largely Puerto Rican and Dominican) or Los Angeles (largely Mexican and Central American).

Are you still thinking all Latinos are the same?

Via Post Gazette

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