Kendall Jenner is once again in hot water over an advertisement. The 25-year-old model and reality TV star is facing accusations of cultural appropriation over her tequila brand's recently-released ad campaign. Kendall Jenner launched Tequila 818 in her home state California this week, reports Insider. The brand is presumably named after the area code for Calabasas - the Los Angeles suburb where she grew up. However, a video promoting the beverage and several photos she shared on Instagram - taken at an agave farm in Jalisco, Mexico, where the tequila is being produced - are facing flak on social media, where many have accused Kendall of cultural appropriation.
"what an incredible experience i have had thus far, learning about this beautiful place, it's beautiful culture, and the beautiful people!" Kendall Jenner wrote while sharing the pictures on Instagram.
Kendall Jenner's promotional video for Tequila 818 shows her riding a horse to agave fields. It also features agave farmers working alongside the model. But the visuals, along with Kendall's choice of outfit and hairstyle, left many unhappy.
Mexican culture for profit and asthetics. Cooool. 👎🏻
— LA_tx (@LAnn__TX) May 20, 2021
"Something about Kendall Jenner making tequila rubs me the wrong way," wrote one Twitter user. "Like the idea of white celebrities taking from local Mexican artisans and profiting off our traditions and agricultural business yet only visit Cabos and Puerto Vallarta for vacation spots..."
And not to mention profit off the brown hands that actually plant, grow, harvest ferment and distill the agave plants in Jalisco
— LaMesaQueMasApluada (@estyledesma) February 17, 2021
Another described tequila as a "traditional Mexican drink made from agave" in a thread that is going viral on the microblogging platform. "No miss Kendall, we do not ride in horses all the time, no we do not wear our hair in braids all the time, no workers do not get to drink the tequila (also that's not the way you drink it)," the Twitter user wrote.
+ workers do not work with that kind of clothes and finally, your advertisement is so whitewashed/california vibes. Jalisco is not California, so don't try to make it that way.
— rex is zayn's bestie ! 🇲🇽🇵🇸 (@talkfastloueh) May 19, 2021
Several Twitter users also noted that farmers who work the agave fields are often exploited and underpaid.
Over the year foreigners have come in to source their products in Tequila, MX but end up paying workers shitty wages and continuing the cycle of worker exploitation while not respecting the history and culture that surrounds tequila making that's why people mad
— Cindy Alvarez (@_cindyy_a) February 17, 2021
Sadly in my country, workers aren't paid as much which means the production costs are way more cheaper so don't be surprised if Kendall Jenner is not paying the workers a good salary.
— rex is zayn's bestie ! 🇲🇽🇵🇸 (@talkfastloueh) May 19, 2021
People also called her out for disabling comments on her post.
@KendallJenner muted comments on her pictures from Jalisco because she wants to silence the voices of those telling her that it's cultural appropriation.
— Sandra Leonard (@sjyeah) May 19, 2021
818 ain't it y'all. I'll be sipping my Don Julio.
Take a look at some of the other reactions to the video:
Kendall Jenner roamed through fields of agave on horseback to announce the launch of her 818 tequila brand in California with moody visuals shared to Instagram on Monday
— Lilian Chan (@bestgug) May 18, 2021
despite tequila's deep-rooted Mexican history having no affiliation to the affluent community she grew up pic.twitter.com/s6Yk0ZXe45
Oh no, not Kendall Jenner going for the Mexican look, as if it wasn't enough of her family members appropriating black culture. #KendallJenner pic.twitter.com/jkDvUVBbAK
— M (@dontwannaobey) May 18, 2021
On the other hand, many Twitter users also came to Kendall Jenner's defence. Twitter users cited examples of other celebrities who own tequila brands.
Not a huge fan of Kendall but, nick jonas, Dwayne Johnson, Rita Ora, and Adam Levine have also made & continue to make tequila & no has seems to have a problem with that. P Diddy and Jay Z aren't Russian & makes millions off of vodka. Y'all just like to pick & chose
— chelsea♎︎ (@chlsflz) February 17, 2021
The Rock, Nick Jonas, P Diddy, Toby Keith, AC/DC, and Justin Timberlake all own their own tequila brand hold the same energy for them that you do for Kendall Jenner. I'm not saying support her but you can't support one and bash the other for the same thing.
— Rebecca Thompson (@eyybeccs) May 20, 2021
In an article, Forbes also noted that several non-Mexicans are involved in the tequila distillation business. The list includes celebrities like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Nick Jonas, and Adam Levine. Besides these, multinational companies like LVMH also have stakes in tequila brands.
This is not the first time that Kendall Jenner has been slammed for an advertisement. In 2017, a Pepsi commercial starring Kendall was pulled almost immediately after criticism that it exploited the Black Lives Matter movement.
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