Reinterpreting Latino Culture in the Commodity Form: The Case of Alcohol Advertising in the Mexican American Community

Abstract

This article details the ways in which the semiology of alcohol advertising in the Mexican American community shapes attitudes and behaviors. The authors claim that the market-driven imperatives associated with the sale and purchase of liquor deny legitimacy to existing social practices in Latino communities and instead propagate a complex set of stereotypes that draw on traditional Mexican cultural armature for their influence. In this process, the sign system of Mexican American communities is encoded from the outside to reflect the needs of alcohol markets, while the authentic images of human lives are distorted.