Frito Bandito
TheFrito Banditowas thecartoonmascotforFritoscorn chipsfrom 1967 to 1971. The Bandito was created by theFoote, Cone & BeldingAgency and animated byTex Avery.The character was voiced byMel Blanc,who used an exaggerated Mexican accent resembling that ofSpeedy Gonzales,another of his characters. The Frito Bandito spoke broken English and robbed people of their Fritos corn chips, a reference to the "Mexican bandit" stereotype inWesternmovies.
Pressure from theNational Mexican-American Anti-Defamation Committeeand others prompted an update to the character; hisgold toothandstubblewere eliminated and his hair combed. The character was retired in 1971. He was replaced by the Muncha Bunch, a group of cowboys, and W.C. Fritos, a character modeled after comedianW.C. Fields.
History
[edit]The Frito Bandito character was developed by the advertising firmFoote, Cone & Beldingand launched byFrito-Layin 1967.[1]ActorMel Blancprovided the character's voice, while the animation was directed byTex Averyat Cascade Studios in California.[2]The character was a stereotypicalMexican Revolutionarywith asombrero,handlebar moustacheand thick accent consistent with images ofPancho Villa.He carried two pistols and robbed people of theirFritoscorn chips at gunpoint.[3]The Frito Bandito was originally featured in commercials that aired during children's television shows, but due to the character's popularity, Frito-Lay soon began using the Bandito in all print and television advertising.[1]
Frito-Lay was one of severalAmericancompanies that featured Mexican revolutionaries in its advertising during the late 1960s—others included theLiggett & Myers Tobacco Company,theElgin Watch Company,andAmerican Motors.[4]In 1968, twoMexican-Americanadvocacy groups were founded in opposition to the use of ethnic stereotypes in advertising: theNational Mexican-American Anti-Defamation Committee(NMAADC) inWashington, D.C.,and the Involvement of Mexican-Americans in Gainful Endeavors (IMAGE) inSan Antonio, Texas.[5]The Mexican-American Anti-Defamation Committee "threatened to file a $610 milliondefamationlawsuit against the Frito-Lay Corporation, its advertising agency, and the television networks CBS and ABC on behalf of all Mexican Americans "and claimed that theFCC fairness doctrineallowed them a right to "counter-speech" in response to marketing featuring the character.[6]In response from pressure from the groups, Frito-Lay modified the character to appear more friendly. The gold tooth and beard were also removed. Following theassassination of Robert F. Kennedyin 1968, the Bandito no longer brandished pistols.[7][8]
Despite the controversy, Frito-Lay stood by the character. The company cited a survey of four cities inCaliforniaandTexasconducted by Foote, Cone & Belding which found that 85% ofMexican Americansliked the Frito Bandito.[7][8]In response, IMAGE and NMAADC shifted their protests to localtelevision stationsthat aired Bandito commercials. In 1969,KPIXandKRONinSan Francisco, CaliforniaandKNBCinLos Angelesbecame the first stations to ban the character.[9][10]Groups also lobbied theFederal Communications Commissionfor free air time to respond to the Frito Bandito under thefairness doctrine.[10][11]
Frito-Lay introduced a new cartoon mascot in 1969: W.C. Fritos (based on comedianW.C. Fields).[12]By July 1970, the company had stopped airing Bandito commercials in the states of California,OregonandWashington,replacing them with ads featuring a group of cartoon Euro-American cowboy outlaws known as Muncha Buncha.[11]Frito-Lay ended the Frito Bandito campaign in 1971.[1]
Jingle
[edit]The Frito Bandito campaign included a song sung to the tune of the traditional Mexican song "Cielito Lindo"insing-along-style:[13]
Ay, ay, ay, ay!
oh, I am dee Frito Bandito.
I like Fritos corn chips,
I love them, I do.
I want Fritos corn chips.
I'll get them, from you.
Ay, ay, ay, ay,
oh, I am the Frito Bandito.
Give me Fritos corn chips
and I'll be your friend.
The Frito Bandito
you must not offend.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^abcNoriega, Chon A. (2000).Shot in America: Television, the State, and the Rise of Chicano Cinema.University of Minnesota Press.p. 35.[ISBN missing]
- ^Behnken, Brian D.;Smithers, Gregory D.(2015).Racism in American Popular Media: From Aunt Jemima to the Frito Bandito.ABC-CLIO. p. 43.ISBN978-1-4408-2977-2.
- ^Dotz, Warren; Morton, Jim (1996).What a Character! 20th Century American Advertising Icons.Chronicle Books.p. 119.ISBN0-8118-0936-6.
- ^Noriega 2000,p. 37.
- ^Noriega 2000,p. 39.
- ^Bender, Steven; Aoki, Keith (2002-01-01)."Seekin' the Cause: Social Justice Movements and LatCrit Community".Or. L. Rev.81:607–608.
- ^abNoriega 2000,p. 43.
- ^abMcComb, Don (1990). "Introduction".Journal of Communication Inquiry.14(1): 3.doi:10.1177/019685999001400101.S2CID220739504.
- ^Noriega 2000,p. 45-46.
- ^abMcComb 1990,p. 4.
- ^abNoriega 2000,p. 46.
- ^Smith, Andrew F. (2011).Fast Food and Junk Food: An Encyclopedia of What We Love to Eat.ABC-CLIO. p. 291.ISBN978-0-313-39393-8.
- ^Arellano, Gustavo (2008).Ask a Mexican.Simon and Schuster. p. 120.ISBN978-1-4165-4003-8.