Frito Bandito

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Frito Bandito

The Frito Bandito was the

Foote, Cone & Belding Agency and animated by Tex Avery. The character was voiced by Mel Blanc, who used an exaggerated Mexican accent not unlike another character of his, Speedy Gonzales. The Frito Bandito spoke broken English and robbed people of their Fritos corn chips, a reference to the "Mexican bandit" stereotype in Western
movies.

Pressure from the

W.C. Fields
.

History

The Frito Bandito character was developed by the advertising firm

Foote, Cone & Belding and launched by Frito-Lay in 1967.[1] Actor Mel Blanc provided the character's voice, while the animation was directed by Tex Avery at Cascade Studios in California.[2] The character was a stereotypical Mexican Revolutionary with a sombrero, handlebar moustache and thick accent consistent with images of Pancho Villa. He carried two pistols and robbed people of their Fritos corn chips at gunpoint.[3] The Frito Bandito was originally featured in commercials that aired during children's television shows, but due to the character's popularity, Frito-Lay soon began using the Bandito in all print and television advertising.[1]

Frito-Lay was one of several

FCC fairness doctrine allowed them a right to "counter-speech" in response to marketing featuring the character.[6] In response from pressure from the groups, Frito-Lay modified the character to appear more friendly. The gold tooth and beard were also removed. Following the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy in 1968, the Bandito no longer brandished pistols.[7][8]

Despite the controversy, Frito-Lay stood by the character. The company cited a survey of four cities in

fairness doctrine.[10][11]

Frito-Lay introduced a new cartoon mascot in 1969: W.C. Fritos (based on comedian

W.C. Fields).[12] By July 1970, the company had stopped airing Bandito commercials in the states of California, Oregon and Washington, replacing them with ads featuring a group of cartoon Euro-American cowboy outlaws known as Muncha Buncha.[11] Frito-Lay ended the Frito Bandito campaign in 1971.[1]

Jingle

The Frito Bandito campaign included a song sung to the tune of the traditional Mexican song "Cielito Lindo" in sing-along-style:[13]

Ay, ay, ay, ay!
 oh, I am dee Frito Bandito.
 I like Fritos corn chips,
 I love them, I do.
 I want Fritos corn chips.
 I'll get them, from you.

 Ay, ay, ay, ay,
 oh, I am the Frito Bandito.
 Give me Fritos corn chips
 and I'll be your friend.
 The Frito Bandito
 you must not offend.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Noriega, Chon A. (2000). Shot in America: Television, the State, and the Rise of Chicano Cinema. University of Minnesota Press. p. 35.[ISBN missing]
  2. ISBN 978-1-4408-2977-2
    .
  3. ISBN 0-8118-0936-6
    .
  4. ^ Noriega 2000, p. 37.
  5. ^ Noriega 2000, p. 39.
  6. ^ Bender, Steven; Aoki, Keith (2002-01-01). "Seekin' the Cause: Social Justice Movements and LatCrit Community". Or. L. Rev. 81: 607–608.
  7. ^ a b Noriega 2000, p. 43.
  8. ^
    S2CID 220739504
    .
  9. ^ Noriega 2000, p. 45-46.
  10. ^ a b McComb 1990, p. 4.
  11. ^ a b Noriega 2000, p. 46.
  12. ISBN 978-0-313-39393-8
    .
  13. ISBN 978-1-4165-4003-8
    .

External links
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