Cinco de Mayo Began as a Protest. How Brands Can Bring it Back to Life.

As Regional Mexican singer, Chalino Sánchez, put it… Ya se fueron las nieves de enero, Y llegaron las flores de Mayo. Or, the January snows are gone and the flowers of May arrived. And with them, another Cinco de Mayo.

For many brands, this means fiestas patrias and parades; tacos and burritos and guac deals; Cinco de Drinko pub crawls, and all the other food and beverage marketing campaigns that make this “holiday” come alive in the U.S. However, some are listening to calls from consumers to connect more authentically with Mexican people and culture, rather than just exploit them as a marketing tool.

Last year we released our Compañeros ERG’s Hot Take on Cinco de Mayo to touch on the bigger brand dos and don’ts. But this year, we’re diving deeper into the evolution of the American holiday specifically in the alcohol space, and highlighting some of the brands that are setting an example to follow.

Culturally Informed Campaigns Start With Learning the History

To create more culturally informed campaigns, it’s important to engage with the Mexican history behind Cinco de Mayo. This day actually celebrates the May 5, 1862 victory in Puebla over Napoleon III’s French army in the Franco-Mexican War. Though Mexican President Benito Juarez’s troops were vastly outnumbered, General Ignacio Zaragoza led the group of 2,000 men to fight off the French, who finally withdrew in the early evening.

After that, President Juarez proclaimed the Battle of Puebla on May 5 a national holiday. At first, the holiday was mainly celebrated in Puebla. But as Mexicans started to immigrate to the U.S., it was used as a way to celebrate and uplift their culture. Increasingly, it became a bigger moment and opportunity for the Chicano Movement to push for Mexican American civil rights.

As the holiday continued to pick up steam in the 80s, beer brands cottoned on. They wanted a cut of the commotion, slowly transforming the day into a commercialized “Mexican St. Patrick’s Day.”

All the way into the 2000s, this was an incredibly successful tactic when it came to attracting bigger Mexican, Latine, and eventually American audiences more generally. What began as a way for Mexicans to reclaim and uphold their culture in America became an appropriation and merchandising of that same culture for profit.

Brands have a responsibility to restore real Mexican heritage to the heart of Cinco de Mayo campaigns, and use their platforms to give back to the communities this culture belongs to.

What Are Brands Doing in 2022?

There are ways to acknowledge and celebrate Mexicans and Mexican American culture without mocking or appropriating. To help set brands on the right track, we took a look at some of the more thoughtful, culturally informed campaigns brands have launched this year.

1. Modelo

Ahead of Cinco de Mayo, Modelo launched its “Cinco Auténtico” campaign to encourage fans to not partake in overdone celebrations and support the small businesses of Mexican American artists. The brand set up a limited-time shop, dubbed “Modelo Mercado,” to feature merchants’ and artisans’ work, as well as their unique stories to highlight what it means for them to be able to bring Mexican culture to the U.S. through their skills.

Our take: Love it! This is a beautiful way to showcase the true Mexican American heritage and culture and a great example of how brands can authentically appreciate Mexican artesania (handcrafts) by supporting the craftworkers directly and elevating their voices in a world that so easily appropriates Mexican designs inspired by their indigenous communities.

2. Topo Chico

Topo Chico just released their Margarita Hard Seltzer line. To commemorate the launch, they’re celebrating Cinco de Mayo by opening a Swap Shop in NYC and asking consumers to swap in their clichéd Cinco de Mayo items for a pack of their new margarita hard seltzers.

Our take: Yes! Let’s ditch the sombreros, fake mustaches and goofy decorations. We’re tired of seeing people mock our culture when they don’t even take the time to understand it and learn how truly beautiful and rich it actually is, so this is a clever way to get people to cut the offensive costumes.

‍3. Smirnoff

beverage marketing

Smirnoff is encouraging consumers to enjoy cocktails using their Smirnoff Spicy Tamarind Vodka, instead of the traditional margarita. They’ve partnered with two chefs—food blogger and cookbook author, Esteban Castillo, and pastry and dessert chef, Jocelyn Delk Adams—to create a flavor-packed lineup of recipes that will help people enjoy a spicy and sweet Cinco de Mayo celebration.

Our Take: We love food and spicy drinks, sign us up! This campaign also elevates the Mexican and Latine community and shows yet another example of how partnering with people in the community goes a long way towards creating authenticity

Overall, we’re excited to see more brands take a more respectful approach year after year, and want to advise others to do the same. Something else we didn’t see with these top three examples but that holds so much power when it comes to supporting the Mexican community is to donate to a non profit organization or charity fund fighting for empowerment within the community, furthering social justice and equality, and aiding those in need. Some examples include RAICES, The Hispanic Institute, Latino Victory and Voto Latino.

To all you folks looking for something to do this Cinco de Mayo weekend (and beyond), consider meaningful ways to support and elevate the Mexican and Mexican American community. Perhaps join a local rally and supporting organizations that help fight for social equity. Hope you’re taking notes for next year!

Want more ideas for culturally informed campaigns?  Drop us a line at hello@praytellagency.com