In September of 1988 at the southernmost tip of the Baja Peninsula lay a modest, sleepy little Mexican borough that truly was at that time the proverbial “quaint little fishing village”.
Back in those days when the town ran low on the standard tourist survival supplies such as, oh, say beer or cigarettes (okay and some food too…) often the only choice was “whatever is on the shelf, grab it, that’s it!”
I learned that lesson near the end of my first full day in Cabo San Lucas when, as Hora Feliz approached, a friend and I jumped in the pickup and drove about 6 km to town from our casa in Cabo Bello so we could load up on the essentials at the local depository for that evening’s festivities.
I don’t know what it is about Corona that doesn’t agree with my system but after that night of consuming mass quantities of the brew (along with hours of merry making) I have not touched one Corona for the past 21 years. And the only point to this is that as much as I dislike the beer I think the company has some outstanding TV commercials.
What I find clever about their ads is the way they combine the notion of enjoying a ‘cold-one’ (or two) on an isolated beach in Mexico, and I can only assume that since they’ve run with that format for more than a decade their ad execs and bean counters must have evidence that promoting their beer simultaneously with Mexico WORKS!
Millions and millions of ‘turistas’ love Mexico and travel here repeatedly, spending billions of dollars every year. So to my way of thinking, Penasco business and Gov leaders that want to promote the area need to go with what works and market Penasco not as ‘Rocky Point’ or ‘Arizona’s Beach’ but instead present the area for its real charm and attraction -- that it IS MEXICO!
Viva México!
elgitanopenasco@gmail.com
