Nissan ‘Rio’ Ad Racist?

I was surprised to read that the Nissan Pathfinder ad was honored as one of the best campaigns of 1988 (“ ‘Rio’ Campaign for Nissan Wins Honor,” April 28).

Just a few weeks earlier my sociology class had singled out this advertisement for a less auspicious reason--its racism.

We studied a print-media version of the advertisement, describing the truck’s visit to Mexico. In diary-like form, it offers a catalogue of negative stereotypes about our Southern neighbor: bad water, excessive mud, a crumbling physical plant, uncontrolled livestock, poisonous food, deafening music and “Montezuma’s revenge.” The only positive comments referred to souvenirs bought by the driver.

My class concluded that the central point of the presentation is that “this vehicle is so rugged, it can even protect American yuppies from the horrors of the Third World.”

It is a shame that in a world marked by a growing need for international understanding, an ad campaign must resort to mocking a developing nation to sell its product. It is even more unfortunate that such a cheap shot would be regarded as a success by the ad industry and the American public.

STEVE GOLD

Whittier

The writer is an assistant professor of sociology at Whittier College.