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RetailCoca-Cola

Why a Coca-Cola Holiday Ad in Mexico is Under Fire

By
Benjamin Snyder
Benjamin Snyder
Managing Editor
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By
Benjamin Snyder
Benjamin Snyder
Managing Editor
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 2, 2015, 2:46 PM ET
Coca-Cola Post Strong Earnings
CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 17: Bottles of Coca-Cola soda are offered for sale at a grocery store on April 17, 2012 in Chicago, Illinois. The Coca-Cola Co. reported an 8 percent increase in net income for the first quarter of 2012 with global volume growth of 5%. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)Photograph by Scott Olson — Getty Images

A Christmas ad for Coca-Cola (KO) in Mexico is gaining traction online for its controversial message about the country’s indigenous people.

The ad depicts the town of Totontepec Villa de Morelos in Oaxaca, Mexico. Coca-Cola trucks enter bearing gifts of soda for the inhabitants.

By nighttime, Coca-Cola builds a large Christmas tree with lights that resemble bottle caps. Townspeople have gathered around the tree to enjoy their bottles of the soda.

“This Christmas a group of young people decided to give something very special to the indigenous community of Totontepec [Villa] de Morelos in Oaxaca,” according to an Associated Press translation. “You, too, open your heart.”

But some are calling the ad a poor depiction of the region. “It’s outrageous for the indigenous,” Diana Turner, a spokesman for Consumer Power, said in an interview with the Associated Press.

“Coca-Cola is working on some genius colonial branding in Mexico with its out-of-touch, racist #AbreTuCorazon campaign,” wrote one commenter on the ad, according to the publication.

“We appreciated you sharing your concerns,” Coca-Cola wrote back. “We will be sure to pass along your comments.”

Fortune has reached out to Coca-Cola for comment.

Check out the full ad below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdDb9qErLc8

The ad comes around the same time that an anti-obesity group Coca-Cola funded disbanded.

About the Author
By Benjamin SnyderManaging Editor
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Benjamin Snyder is Fortune's managing editor, leading operations for the newsroom.

Prior to rejoining Fortune, he was a managing editor at Business Insider and has worked as an editor for Bloomberg, LinkedIn and CNBC, covering leadership stories, sports business, careers and business news. He started his career as a breaking news reporter at Fortune in 2014.

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