FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 5, 2001
Release #04-1124

Recently, it has come to our attention here at Mandatory Cola™™™ that some consumers feel that the loveable and way bueno character "Lazy deImmigrant", spokesoaf for our product Hispanic Punch, is a character "embodying negative stereotypes of Hispanics everywhere" and "appears to make a joke out of a race in order to sell a product". Our company is also facing a pending lawsuit from Mexicans Against Racism. We would like to take this opportunity to explain and clear up misconceptions about Lazy deImmigrant.

Lazy deImmigrant was created in 1999 while we were first planning a marketing strategy for our then-new product Hispanic Punch. Many products use a lovable advertising character, so why not us? It was then our character designers brought life to that siesta-taking, taco-eating, sombero-wearing, job-stealing 'lil' scamp America knows and loves. It is a common misconception that these are negative stereotypes and that Lazy deImmigrant's lovable quirks are played for comic effect only. As Lazy deImmigrant would say, "¡Cómo es tonto!" These allegations could not be further than the truth! Rather than desiring to lampoon Mexican culture, we at Mandatory Cola™™™ wanted to embrace Mexican culture with only the best intentions in mind. In fact, we try to bring a little bit of Mexican culture into our offices each and every day: we have "Mexican Fridays" in which the cafeteria at our corporate headquarters serves nothing but fine Mexican delicacies, such as tacos, gorditas, and chalupas. Also, many of our employees have Hispanic friends.

According to focus groups we had conducted in Colorado, West Virginia, and Vermont, Lazy deImmigrant proved to be a highly likable character, and so we were quite shocked when we learned of people taking offense. Mandatory Cola™™™ is firmly opposed to racism and opression, as firmly stated on page 15 of the Mandatory Cola™™™ Employee Handbook. We are one of the largest Hispanic employers in the nation, employing over millions of Hispanics in our many bottling plants near the border for minimum wage.

Regardless, the board of directors have decided to tone down Lazy deImmigrant's ethnicity. Depending on the results of the pending lawsuit, we may be forced to permanently retire the character, no doubt dissappointing the millions of Lazy deImmigrant fans across the nation.

We here at Mandatory Cola™™™ think that racism just isn't "cool", and we apologize for any misconceptions that may have been made.

As Lazy deImmigrant would say: "¡QUE PADRE!"