Yes, it’s time once again for WITW Glasgow! Today’s special guest is WITW TESCO! Please join our studio audience as we all ask “What! In! The! World?“
We’ve turned back time and sneaked into the marketing and merchandising department of this grocery giant to observe the art department presentation for Tesco’s Lightly Salted Tortilla Chips (120 calories per serving). Through the magic of the internet, we now take you there:
“Bunty, I think we’ve got something.”
“Oh, wonderful, Giles. Let’s hear it.”
“All right then. *rolls out full-sized illustration.*
“Right, Giles. Thanks. Stereotypically cheerful fat man, check. Fake moustache. Check. Empty bandolier belt to underscore the bandito cliché, check. Sombrero, check. Yep, he’s a Mexican, all right. Giles, this looks great. You’ve done the art department proud this time.”
“Oh, not at all, Bunty, this is a team effort, a group–“
*cough* “Uh, Giles?”
*Impatient sigh* “Yeah, Bob, what is it now?”
“Well… I know I’m only an intern, but I’m on the team, right? I have a question…”
“Go ahead, Bob. Giles, be patient with him, this is how we all had to learn.
“Thanks, Bunty. Um, so, is that mustard on the guy’s belt?”
“Yes.”
“Really? Uh, why?”
“Bob, look. Just leave the high-level details to me, all right? EVERYONE KNOWS Mexicans eat their tortilla chips with mustard, all right? Have you ever been to Mexican? Do you know what their country is like?”
“I thought it was Mexico…”
“See, Bob? You thought. Again. We’re going to have to work on that.”
It had to have been something like that. I mean, because, seriously. How else could they have come up with this?? It’s pretty close to the stereotype of the Frito Bandito.
Incidentally, the yellow thing tucked into the belt would either be spray butter — which we are assured does not exist on these shores — or some kind of mustard. We think it’s probably meant to be some kind of liquor — but we’ll stick with the mustard, thanks. There are enough stereotypes here already.
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Whatever it is has 120 calories? But is that per serve or per bottle or per nacho? Is that good or bad? I don’t know, it’s all too hard. I have to go and lie down now.
You crack me up! Uh, would you be Bob??. That really is a pretty terrible stereotype. Fritos should probably sue or something…but their stereotype is terrible, too.
Glad TESCO is not a big player on this side of the pond (that seems to be a popular expression, although the Atlantic never struck me as being as benign as a pond would be).