Back in 2008, UK supermarket chain Tesco redesigned their tortilla chip packaging to feature an over-the-top Mexican "bandito" character as a representation of their various chip flavors. Every so often, someone "rediscovers" the design and posts a photo or two on the web, usually with some variant of a "holy shit is this really real?"-type comment.
The UK has fewer than 1 million Hispanic residents, which is probably why the package hardly ever stirs up more than a brief WTF and shake of the head. After all, here in the US, where the number of Hispanic people is approaching 50 million (about 16% of the total US population) we wouldn't think of using such a blatantly offensive stereotype to sell a few bags of chips.
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| Frito-Lay |
Well, we probably wouldn't use such a blatantly offensive stereotype to sell a few bags of chips, now that Frito-Lay has sent the Frito Bandito off into retirement.
Oh, wait, there's Mi Ranchito tortilla chips with Señior Pancho on the front. I found these at Big Lots last Saturday.
Señior Pancho?? Seriously?
2 comments:
I say bring back the Frito Bandito!
I lived in England for a year abroad in college in 2009--I saw this bad boy at Tesco every time I shopped. Oh, racial stereotypes. Good on you, Tesco. Good on you.
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