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Gloria milk criticized for making fun of Peru children

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# SA says :
13 February, 2009 [ 17:29 ]

Sometimes the truth is not attractive nor what everyone wants to see or hear.

# Curt says :
13 February, 2009 [ 22:25 ]

We need to make fun of fat kids more.

# Junior says :
13 February, 2009 [ 22:53 ]

Why do the fat ones get picked on whereas the really skinny ones don't???

I don't see why milk would make you grow taller. Some Peruvians think that playing basketball will make the taller because of all the jumping invloved. So does that mean if I go bowling a lot my arm will grow long???

Oh the mentality!

# Junior says :
13 February, 2009 [ 22:55 ]

...will make THEM taller...

# Chato Grados says :
13 February, 2009 [ 23:59 ]

Almost 50% of my friends are also called "Chato" which is a very popular nickname in Peru.

# duh? says :
14 February, 2009 [ 03:30 ]

im pretty sure calcium is important to bone growth.  . .so i imagine that if you dont have suficient calcium in your diet you wouldnt grow as much as you possibly could (of course, genetics allowing) so drinking milk would help. ive seen some pretty tall peruvians, tho. not many

# jb says :
14 February, 2009 [ 06:01 ]

I see the U.S. has now successfully exported hyper-sensitivity.  Was this too part of the FTA?

# You're right jb says :
14 February, 2009 [ 07:53 ]

jb,

You're right!  The US must have exported hyper-sensitivity.  I hate PC talk!  People around the world need to grow some thick skin. 

# Rachel in Peru says :
14 February, 2009 [ 08:51 ]

Notice it only caused "discomfort and upset" within "human rights organization reps." I don't see mention about the general public being offended.

Idk, but doesn't a child have a right to a complete nutrition?

Whatever happened to the "Leche para todos" (Milk for Everyone) campaign?

And there is cheaper evaporated milk out there than Gloria.

There was nothing offensive about the advertisement.

I didn't see this Leche Gloria commercial get pulled.

# hey ho says :
14 February, 2009 [ 14:47 ]

Yes but the types of kids on this commercial probably don't have that problem and their parents can probably afford 3 glasses per day for them.

# Mike says :
14 February, 2009 [ 15:45 ]

I agree - but that begs the question: "Why are the kids in the commercial short?"

Parents being irresponsible and not feeding their children enough milk!  Gloria milk!

# Barbara says :
14 February, 2009 [ 16:46 ]

I know the kid who stars as the "chato" in the commercial. His father is Peruvian and his mother is European. He is not a short kid compared to other "white" kids his age and especially not compared to many mestizo and Andean kids. The commercial is shot to exaggerate the height difference between him and the girl. I suspect that the discriminatory subtext of the commercial (being short is a problem for many Peruvians -- ie, mestizos and Andeans) got lost during production because the child actors are all white and the "chato" actor in particular is about 5'4" tall. (I am guessing here -- I saw him outside a restaurant two months ago).

I do think the ad is insensitive to short people but the bigger problem is that it equates being taller with excellent nutrition. As the human-rights organization's spokesperson points out, most of us who are short are that way because of our genes. If your parents are 5'1" you won't become 6 feet tall by drinking Leche Gloria.

Gloria should refocus its ad campaign on other benefits of drinking milk. Surely strong bones are a benefit for kids, as well as adults and seniors.

# Rachel in Peru says :
14 February, 2009 [ 18:04 ]

The Dutch are known as some of the tallest people in the world and it's not just pure genetics. Their tall height is also contributed to the heavy intake of dairy they have in their diets.

Calcium promotes bown growth and that's what Gloria was trying to get across.

It may not make them as tall as basketball players, but a healthy diet which includes calcium will promote proper growth.

# Brain dead says :
14 February, 2009 [ 18:47 ]

Rachel, if they can't figure out what the message is then hope is lost on these fools.

# Dante Elias says :
14 February, 2009 [ 21:07 ]

too much ignorance about Gloria´s publicists.... however there is no different development in brain between taller and shorter people...for instance japanese people was shorter than anglos and this characteristic is not in detriment of their historical potential..... and less that it is caused by a particular kind of milk... furthermore goat milk has been considered better than cow milk... remember that goat does not have cancer cells.... just false stereotypes!!!

# Calcium says :
14 February, 2009 [ 23:43 ]

Of course Gloria wants you to drink 6 "tarros" cans a day. It will make their wallets taller and fatter.
But consider this, isn't milk rich in animal fat also, the worst fat. Yes, I know they make super light milk too, yes the white can with the white european looking woman on it. No cholitas here, we cholitas drink pure fat and are all fat and short.
Gloria is known for making ..let's say controversial commercials. A couple of years ago they made one where one mom spent the whole commercial in the kitchen making "mazamorra" while the husband sat on his behind. As fas as I know many of us have gone out of the kitchen a long time ago and have jobs.
My gringo husband noticed on his first trip to Peru the labels on the "sbelt" line. He asked me why they had white girls on the bottles when they are a minority in Peru. Welcome to Peru I answered.
Ah Rachel, yes the Dutch are tall so are the Germans, Austrians and they are not heavy milk drinkers. Could it be the beer?
Is all a matter of race.

By the way, what about green vegetables such as broccoli and calcium. Peruvian diet is terribly poor in vegetables. I rather have my child eating broccoli than drinking milk and clogging his arteries.

# mericorps says :
15 February, 2009 [ 09:25 ]

For me, the problem with this is the spin on the message.  They do not try to spin it as milk makes your bones grow more healthy, but they spin it that Peruvians are less for being shorter, and they should be taller.  It was a cultural message, not a healthy message.   They took a gamble and I think it was a stupid one.  Grossly offensive..not realy...but not very positive.

As far as the term PC, I am quite sure that PC REALLY means being sensitive and kind, and I realize many of you are very against that and find great joy in trying to excuse your offensiveness, but it is just manners.  Clearly some do not have them and feel their rights to free speech come without responsibilities or repocussions if they deliberately or ignorantly try to hurt someone.

PC is not control, it is respect.  My cousin who has mental retardation and cries and cries when she hears the word retarded as equal to dumb.  Not to mention that she is a bright and charming girl who would never be guilty of what most people label as retarded.  Yes, you have a right to say and use that work, but I reserve my right to call you trash and ignorant and hateful for not caring how you hurt people.  If that is PC, then I see nothing wrong with it.

# Cindy says :
15 February, 2009 [ 18:55 ]

hmm...so what´s wrong with being short??
anywaysss...next time i see a short peruvian trying to desperately kiss a taller girl, i´ll hand him a glass of carrot juice...

"Carrots are rich in organic calcium that is invaluable to bones and teeth.  Inorganic calcium is almost useless to the body.  The calcium in milk and white bread is inorganic and known to cause arthritis and gallstones.  "

www.freedomyou.com/fasting_book/Vegetable_Juice_Guide.htm

# Junior says :
16 February, 2009 [ 12:31 ]

Interesting info, Cindy.

Peruvians have a thing for being taller since most Peruvians are rather short when compared to other ethnicities, especially the anglo-saxon one. Like I said before, people here think that playing basketball at an early age will make people grow taller despite the genes and stuff. DUH!

# LoL says :
16 February, 2009 [ 14:01 ]

....And I used to think Peruvian people were drama " guess not.

# rice and sugar says :
17 February, 2009 [ 12:30 ]

I don't think this commercial is offensive really. Peruvians we laugh at being "chatos". We joke about it all the time. Growing up, I was a tall girl myself, I was once called "jirafa", but that itself never bothered me. What I found sad was the fact that there weren't as many tall girls for me to relate to. Gloria Milk is good milk as far as know.

My real complaint is about the fact that no cholos have been included in the commercial. TV continues to discriminate on the basis of our race - native Peruvians don't look good enough to model in TV commercials??? Though the kids look tanned, please notice that the models are always just white. Racism continues in Peruvian TV commercials. That has not changed.  

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