Written By: Hannah Stedman
While the Super Bowl always has intriguing commercials, one specific commercial got some online criticism for being poorly timed. The “Avocados From Mexico” commercial aired on Sunday just a few days after there was an indefinite ban placed on avocado imports from Mexico.
After a U.S. safety inspector working in Mexico received a verbal threat through a phone call, all imports of avocados were banned until the safety of the U.S. employee was guaranteed. This ban hurt a lot of avocado farmers in the state of Michoacán and it will likely have a huge impact on their local economy according to the New York Times
As of today, the ban has been lifted and the U.S. will begin accepting imports of avocados from Mexico.
It was too late to pull the commercial after the ban was set in place so the commercial ran regardless of the trade situation. The concept of the commercial was humorous, depicting a tailgate set in ancient Rome and the main food attraction being avocados. But, there were valid criticisms about the timing and casting. Many people took to Twitter to express their concerns stating how it was a “bad time” given the current climate and calling out the company for not pulling the commercial. Casting was also a point of contingency because there were no Mexicans cast in the commercial. One Twitter user noted that the inventor of Caesar salad was Hispanic, but was cast as a white man.
Brands have been including more representation in their commercials and it has been appreciated by all consumers. It was surprising that a brand that represents another country does not have diversity in its casting. It is slowly becoming the new standard to have inclusive casting and now it is becoming more uncommon to have an all white cast. Especially when airing a commercial for the first time during the Super Bowl, there will be more eyes watching and criticizing than normal, so you want your commercial to be the best it can be and the least controversial.
It was bad timing all around for Avocados From Mexico this year, but hopefully, with the lift of the ban, they will have a successful 2022.