#CincoDeFallo: 4 Of The Worst Marketing Fails To Capitalize On Cinco De Mayo

Thousands of Americans celebrate Mexican heritage every year on Cinco de Mayo. Mexican Americans know that the holiday commemorates the Mexican army’s defeat of the French back in 1862.

Plenty of Cinco de Mayo celebrations across the U.S. include tequila, sombreros and few Mexican Americans. However, it’s even more tacky when companies try to take advantage of the holiday to sell products using stereotypes.

In 2015, Cuban American advertising executive Michael Calienes came up with the hashtag #CincoDeFallo, or “Cinco de Fail,” to call out companies on social media that completely missed the mark. Here’s a look at four examples.

1. Comcast Corporation CMCSA’s ‘Way Too Early’ Show

In 2014, the anchors of the MSNBC morning show celebrated Cinco de Mayo on air in a predictably cringe-worthy way. With a graphic on the screen that read “Cinco de Mayo Mexican Heritage Celebration,” they all proceeded to chug tequila while wearing sombreros and ponchos.

2. Walt Disney Co DIS’s “Good Morning America” Show

MSNBC wasn’t alone in embarrassing itself on Cinco de Mayo in 2014. On ABC’s ‘Good Morning America,’ Lara Spencer donned a (you guessed it) sombrero and enthusiastically declared it “Cinco de drinko” while sipping on a margarita.

3. Alaska Air Group, Inc ALK’s Virgin America

In 2015, Virgin America decided to put both feet squarely in its mouth when it sent out an email advertisement urging customers to “grab their amigos” and “flyo de mayo.” The cherry on top was a cartoon that included a greatest hits of Mexican stereotype s— sombrero, thick mustache and margarita in hand.

4. Unilever Plc (ADR) UL’s Hellman’s Mayonnaise

You may already have guessed where this one is going. In 2015, Hellman’s decided to take the most obvious angle and tweet out that it is “putting the mayo in #cincodemayo.” Hellman’s also included a recipe for “EXTRA tasty” guacamole that predictably contained a generous amount of mayonnaise. Conspicuously absent was any reference to Mexican culture or history.

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