An Absolut World.

Some of my dear friends are heading back home to Mexico this weekend. Their year visas are up. It's sad. One of them fell head over heels for New Zealand and told me he has mixed emotions about returning home so I made him a parody shirt. Hm I'm not sure if parody is quite the right word. Knock-off?

A while ago they showed me this Absolut ad that caused quite a riot at the time it was released.

A bit of info about it below if you're interested taken from Strange Maps.


'Large swathes of the western US used to be part of Mexico. In 1836, American settlers proclaimed the independence of Texas, formally a Mexican territory. The US annexation of Texas in 1845 prompted the Mexican-American War (1846-1848), after which Mexico was forced to cede 525,000 square miles of territory (42% of its pre-war territory, 12% of the US’s current territory).


Mexico didn’t have much choice: a US army occupied Mexico City, and the alternative was total annexation. The Mexican Cession consisted of the territories of Alta California and Nueva Mexico, out of which were eventually formed the US states of California, Nevada and Utah, and parts of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming.


In this ‘absolut’ version of the world, the US and Mexico are about the same size. As gratifiying as it might be for Mexicans to see the loss of Texas and the Mexican Cession be reversed, this map managed to offend so many Americans that it prompted Absolut Vodka to release a statement:

'This particular ad, which ran in Mexico, was based upon historical perspectives and was created with a Mexican sensibility. In no way was this meant to offend or disparage, nor does it advocate an altering of borders, nor does it lend support to any anti-American sentiment, nor does it reflect immigration issues. Instead, it hearkens to a time which the population of Mexico may feel was more ideal.'


So here is my version of his Absolut world, where New Zealand is a little closer to home. 

My stencil fell apart a little when printing, you can see the paper in the A's which I hope will wash off! Oops.