“How a kind word ruin my beezness”

 
  This is an old newspaper advertisement strip of a blend name coffee – Sanka coffee in 1941. The company was trying to promote their product's "97% caffein-free" using some common American’s stereotype to Mexican.

    The Mexican character’s obese image implies an American’s stereotype to Mexican – the lazy Mexican. The advertisement intends to catch people’s eyeballs by joking about how Mexican lacking of American capitalist values, as the Mexican character in the advertisement is willing to give up his retail “beezness” only for a good nap during noon.

   The Mexican character is named Juan, he doesn’t take the siesta and continue his lottery retail business during noon which seems unusual to American based on their stereotype to Mexican, as some Americans think Mexican are lazy, sleepy, unlike many of the working American who don’t even want to waste 30 minutes for a nap, Mexican always take a nap under tree wearing a big sombrero. In the strip, Juan explains to his American consumer that because everyday he drinks coffee at lunch that makes him awake, so that’s why he doesn’t take a nap. His American consumer suggests him to try the low caffeine Sanka coffee, after he try it, he is glad to find out that he can sleep well during noon.

   Other stereotype reflect in the strip includes - Juan sales lottery to American tourists for ten times what it is costs in America, which implies the stereotype that businesses running by Mexican people are totally a rip – off. Juan called his American consumer as “senorita” – means “Miss” in Spanish, he spells “business” wrong (as beezness), it implies another stereotype that Mexican don’t speak good English.

    The story in the advertisement strip is ironic and ridiculousness, although it entertains American reader, and reflects certain creative designation from the author, the heavy stereotype and disgraceful regarding Mexican is obvious in the advertisement.

   I believe the Mexican stereotype has been decreased overtime, at least, advertisement with heavy stereotype like this, will never appear on public newspaper anymore.

Text:

1.. Everyone takes the siesta in the heat of the day, except I, poor Juan.  While all are asleep, the shops are closed.  Except my shop, where I sell pottery to the American tourists for ten times what it costs in America.

2. An American senorita comes one afternoon to buy the pottery.  “How is it that you do not take the siesta?” she asked, speaking that strange language which I have heard called Highschool Spanish.  “Ah, senorita,” I sighed, “I cannot sleep!”

3.  “Is it the coffee!” I explained.  “I love the coffee. I cannot resist it.  But when I drink it with the lunch, then all afternoon I am wide awake!”  She nodded.  “It is good business to be open when other shops are closed!”

4. “I would give all the beezness for a good siesta!” I cried.  “Then you should drink Sanka Coffee,” she said.  “It’s 97% caffein-free [sic], and can’t keep you awake!”  “It is an American trick!”  I scoffed.  “How can it be good coffee?”

5. “It’s wonderful!  A blend of fine Central and South American coffees!” she replied.  “And the Council on Foods of the American Medical Association says: ‘Sanka Coffee is free from caffein [sic] effect, and can be used when other coffee has been forbidden!’ ”

6.  So in gratitude I charge her only five times what the pottery is worth.  Later, I try Sanka Coffee.  Delicious.  And I sleep each day during the afternoon.  My pottery beezness, he is ruin but ah, amigo… how I enjoy the siesta!

Reference:

1. Lisa, Wade. "THE SLEEPY MEXICAN STEREOTYPE IN A VINTAGE AD." Sociological images. Lisa Wade, Ph.D. Occidental College Gwen Sharp, Ph.D. Nevada State College, 12 Nov 2009. Web. 6 Mar. 2012. <http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2009/11/12/the-sleepy-mexican-stereotype-in-a-vintage-ad/>.