Arriba!
Volkswagen is enlisting the help of beloved wundermaus Speedy Gonzales in attracting Hispanic customers for
its GTI Mk V model. According to Daniel Marrero at Volkswagen's agency for Hispanic accounts, Speedy's iconic stature with the audience and
his reputation for wit and creativity make him the perfect spokesmouse. The three commercials, slated for over a dozen
of Hispanic television stations nationwide, use clips from the original Warner Bros. cartoons and depict Speedy
outwitting his enemies.
[Source: Brandweek]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Mike @ Mar 17th 2006 8:18AM
This is ridiculous... Speedy Gonzales certainly has no "iconic stature" in the Hispanic community, at least not more than for any other "community." If you were to ask most Hispanics who he was they would probably be just as likely to know who Speedy Gonzales is as anybody else. Just because of these commercials I WOULDN'T buy a VW...
Fazzster @ Mar 17th 2006 8:28AM
Really bad idea. The percentage of the Hispanic population who have nothing else to do because they don't want to work will complain about this. Something like "we are not rodents, how dare you" . They will drag VW into court for discrimination and win millions. The Hispanic population who do work for a living will continue to buy well built Japanese brands. Do you really think a cartoon, that chances are the newer generation is not even familiar with, (the GTI is marketed towards the young)will even make a difference?
Castle @ Mar 17th 2006 8:53AM
Didn't Cartoon network ban Speedy Gonzales due to bad ethnic sterotypes back in 1999, and weren't their lawsuits from the Hispanic community about this?
VW should have stuck with those lame "umpimp your ride" CMs.
What next? Using Pepe LePew to hock Fords on the French.
Edsel @ Mar 17th 2006 10:05AM
...and use Porky Pig for the VW Touareg/Q7/Cayenne!
bernie @ Mar 17th 2006 10:35AM
This has to be an urban legend or an early April Fools. Hispanic buyers would be so turned off by this even a entry-level marketer would see the train wreck coming.
This would be the equivalent of using Amos and Andy to market to African Americans. It has to be a bad joke.
guillermo @ Mar 17th 2006 11:12AM
Speedy G. is coolisimo if you ask me. I'm latino and i think seeing him again is a great idea. what amazes me is that non latinos feel the need to comment on how latinos think.
niguels @ Mar 17th 2006 11:15AM
Those marketing geniouses are comitting a great mistake by assuming that everybody in the spanish-speaking community are mexicans.
Is it so hard for them to realize that even when we share a language, we have very different cultures and backgrounds? I don't have any problem with the mexicans, nevertheless I hate to be assumed as one of them only because I speak spanish.
I guess what would happen if one addresses a Brittish citizen as somebody from United States only because of the language, I bet the Brittish would not like it to say the least.
Richard Warren @ Mar 17th 2006 11:25AM
Beep-Beep, anybody remember those Road Runner ads?
I didn't hear of any Road Runners complaining. Or how about those "Dukes of Hazard" horns you could get.
Folks really need to get a life, it's F**King cartoon and ya know that mouse always showed he was smarter than the other guy.
Fazzster @ Mar 17th 2006 11:30AM
Hey guillermo, you should not assume the people commenting are not Hispanic. Could explain why you are the only one who thinks this is a good idea. Just don't get into marketing!
Mr. Wankel @ Mar 17th 2006 11:37AM
If they limit their use of "Speedy" to ads in Mexico, (maybe)could be a good idea, since "Speedy" is (fictionally) Mexican. If they use it for ads in lot of latin american countries (and Spain in Europe) like if spanish speakers are all the same (and the article says it will be used over a dozen nations) its a VERY BAD idea.
Like saying to all British, Canadians, Jamaicans, Australians and Indians they're the same as people from the USA.
Brandon @ Mar 17th 2006 11:42AM
They should have used the Taco Bell Chihuahua. I hope they load up the VW with tacos and stuff 12 kids in the back window. All Mexicans like tacos and kids, so they'll buy Volkswagens for sure! (this is BULLSHIT)
guillermo @ Mar 17th 2006 11:47AM
Fazzster: don't worry, i won't get into marketing. i prefer cars. there are plenty of people who don't work and plenty of people who complain for a living. seems like you may be one of them. this is a car blog. why can't we keep it that way?
juanpablo13 @ Mar 17th 2006 12:24PM
Yes cartoon network banned "speedy" but at the time of that announcement I remember reading that Senior Gonzales was still being aired in Mexico and other latin american countries and was quite popular.
Eloy @ Mar 17th 2006 12:35PM
Has anybody seen those commercials? The ones I have seen have a talking strange black thing in the back seat of a GTI. Anybody have a link to the Speedy Gonzalez ones?
hanzfranz5 @ Mar 17th 2006 1:23PM
Well I don't think you need to be Mexican to relate to Speedy Gonzales. Speedy has been a Looney Toons character for decades and FYI it started here in the USA. The GTI is a kick ass car and fast as hell. Better to have Speedy than a stupid plastic egg shaped toy. What's fast about that?
GCH @ Mar 17th 2006 1:28PM
I grew up watching Speedy Gonzales in Puerto Rico. They always censored the song "La cucaracha" in the part that said: porque le falta, por que no tiene, mariguana pa' fumar" (because it does not have, Marijuana joint to smoke...)
We were always checking if the censor did or did not happen, depending on the episode.
As a kid you find him funny and cool, but as an adult and once living in the US, you realize it actually represents the stereotypical image of Mexicans from that time, like the old Aunt Jemima image in the pancake boxes.
What really surprise me is the fact that an advertising agency with Hispanics are actually using this image. Perhaps they all just became what someone else and do not consider these things anymore.
Raul 7 @ Mar 17th 2006 1:40PM
I hadn't seen Speedy for a long time. I'm glad he’s back. The fastest mouse in all of Mexico!. I really don't understand what are you guys talking about stereotyping and racial issues, sometimes those that want to be SO politically correct end up being the most offensive. If you feel offended by a cartoon you have bigger personal issues. Who cares about the old folks with nothing to do, They will never drive a GTI. I remember Speedy from growing up to me it was the coolest of all the Looney tunes, and still think he is. I'm looking forward to seeing the spots, anyone knows where I can find them?
Miguelito @ Mar 17th 2006 2:08PM
I saw the spot where Speedy gets run over, It was fuuuuny!!!!!!!!!
At least Speedy moves, what does the evil pokemon do?
Ray @ Mar 17th 2006 3:53PM
I have always enjoyed the intelligent offbeat humor humor of VW ads. I don't know what's happened with the ad campaign for the new GTI. "Speedy Gonzales"??? or "make friends with your fast". What's that supposed to mean?
Carlos @ Mar 22nd 2006 2:39PM
I as a Hispanic feel that a cartoon as a medium to reach the Hispanic community is somewhat of a dumb idea, however I admire the effort of recognizing the tremendous growth of our community. Particularly, what I find more interesting is how a person or persons, not of Latin heritage feel the need to comment on how Hispanics feel or even think. Then again, everybody is entitled to their own opinion, that's what makes this country great. The most important thing to remember is that not all Hispanics are by definition "Mexican", and furthermore, Mexicans as well do not like to be confused with other Latinos as they have a very strong sense of pride for their own culture. So people, think just a little before rolling out a campaign trying to attract the Latino market, and most important, we are very sensitive about our culture and our ways, so be respectful and tasteful.