Pistolero explained: “¡Atención Gringo!”
Beyond just a brand of salsa, Salsa Pistolero was always intended to educate. Whether it be about the intricacies of the Mexican cuisine or the history of the Mexican immigrant experience in the United States, the brand was created to create conversations and to convey information that might otherwise be misunderstood or even previously silenced.
To that end, much of the surrounding branding, copy and visuals are meant to do more than just increase sales. Each brand interaction is meant to convey a message. Some might be ambivalent, while others will be simple and straightforward, but each is chosen carefully and thoughtfully. The problem is that without a direct one on one conversation, much of that meaning is lost or might be simply misunderstood. Therefore, every now and again I’ll deliver a “Pistolero explained” piece to give the public more insight into the (sometimes controversial) brand choices made.
Let’s start with the tagline, “¡Atención Gringo!” While mostly meant for shock value, I often say it’s a great way to see how familair the reader is with Mexican culture. If they see it and laugh, it’s obvious that they are in on the joke. If they read it and seem offended, they might need a bit more help understanding the brand and the concept. Those familiar with Texas or Southwest or Northern Mexican culture understand that this is not a term of ridicule or even a slur. Even when said with bite, it’s accompanied by a wink or a smirk.
But more than just a snappy line, there’s a particular historical signifiance to this phrase. The line is taken directly from recruitment posters seen throughout the Southwest posted by Pancho Villa and his army. It was meant to encourage American fighters to go south of the border to ride with Pancho Villa “For Gold and Glory.” After the United States had given support to Carranza’s oppressive Mexican regime, Pancho Villa and his fellow revolutionaries attacked Colombus, New Mexico, which prompted Woodrow Wilson to send Major General john J. Pershing in 1916 to lead 5,000 troops in what is known as the “Mexican Expedition.” Using guerilla tactics and running circles around the US Army for a year, Villa’s army sent the Americans home defeated and demoralized. Pershing would later write “Having dashed into Mexico with the intention of eating the Mexicans raw, we turned back at the first repulse and are now sneaking home under cover, like a whipped curr with its tail between its legs.”
The quote is a history lesson. It is a reminder: We can stand and fight against oppression, together. It doesn’t matter which side of the border you were born on.
