Kendall Jenner announced her latest commercial venture on Tuesday with an Instagram post explaining her years of creating “the tastiest tequila”. But after launching the first images of the product called 818, according to the area code of his hometown, Calabasas, California, people across the internet began to criticize the 25-year-old woman, calling him “gentrification”.
Kendall Jenner starting a tequila brand, with no knowledge of Mexican culture and calling it “818 tequila” is GENTRIFICATION. The 818 does not claim Calabasas. What about smaller, familiar Mexican brands of tequila / mezcal? They deserve hype and support.
– Jennie Molina (@jenjocelyn) February 17, 2021
Hey @Kendall Jennerrespectfully, as I say to my son, “it’s a no” in relation to your hand making the best tequila in the world.
Many real people, mainly Mexicans, have actually made the tequila you are just endorsing with your own hands, at best. I don’t.
– Amanda Victoria (@amandagoodeye) February 16, 2021
Lucas Assis, a Brazilian bartender from Los Angeles who has experience in the tequila industry with his wife’s family in Mexico, told Yahoo Life that he was “disappointed, but not surprised” when he heard about Jenner’s new brand.
“There was only a lack of respect for the culture and the importance of tequila for Mexico. She didn’t even know how to drink tequila properly, ”he said of Jenner’s ad. “It is disrespectful for an outsider to come and say that in just four years and without any prior knowledge of the spirit he was able to make the tastiest tequila.”
Assis posted a video on his social networks explaining his position that Jenner’s 818 brand is in fact an example of cultural appropriation.
In it, he draws attention to a number of pain points that countless people across the Latinx community have been talking about, including Jenner improperly tasting the tequila with ice cubes in his glass, failing to label the bottles in Spanish and even suggesting that four years were enough to create what it says is the “tastiest tequila”, when agave – a plant from which tequila originates – takes twice as long to mature. All this shows that those who infiltrate the sector, like Jenner, are forgetting the cultural importance of the agricultural product, says Assis.
“The plant is part of the country’s history and culture. Celebrities need to understand the damaging effect their brands can have on the tequila industry, but even more importantly on agave plant agriculture, ”he explains. “Using Mexico’s culture and history for nothing more than capital gain is appropriation of culture. Not to mention leaving the small family distilleries that have been doing this for generations, struggling to keep up with the very high prices of agave, due to the farmers simply cannot keep up with demand. “
He continues: “Agaves take eight to nine years to fully mature, so now we see mega distilleries harvesting them from the age of three to four and using diffusers and chemicals to extract sugars, essentially changing the entire process and the spirit itself, just to keep up with the demand created by the big brands and famous tequilas. ”
Tired of the celebrity tequila craze! WTF does @Kendall Jenner knowing about tequila my family has been working hard in the fields all their lives in Jalisco just for people to come and dip their feet 🙄 stay in your lane.
– YB (@YaraB) February 16, 2021
Not to mention the profits from the brown hands that plant, cultivate, harvest, ferment and distill the agave plants in Jalisco
– LaMesaQueMasApluada (@estyledesma) February 17, 2021
While many people talked about profiting from workers in Jalisco, Mexico, others discussed the issue of Jenner calling the brand 818 to attract the large Latin population of the San Fernando Valley.
It is calling ATEQUILA 818 because 818 is used mainly by Mexicans / Chicanes living in that area … you would not name a TEQUILA Jenner or Armenia or any other number or postal code
– vanessa (@ vanessamarin38) February 18, 2021
Perhaps Kendall Jenner should donate a percentage of each bottle of tequila sold back to the 818 low-income communities. Since she wants to profit from it.
– Lisss (@_ohlizz) February 17, 2021
Still, some people pointed out that Jenner seems to be facing more reactions to appropriating Mexican culture than several other celebrities who have launched their own tequila brands in the past – mostly white male celebrities.
very hot shot: i understand the frustration of tequila kendall jenners, but i have never seen the same energy for people like George clooney, rande gerber, the rock, nick jonas, adam levine, etc., for appropriation and their tequila brands 🤷🏻♀️
– ali (@ c4ll_it_k4rma) February 17, 2021
“Perhaps there is a certain sexism in some people when they see a successful young woman starting a brand of tequila,” says Assis. But while the general public did not think George Clooney and Nick Jonas were responsible for their tequila companies, Assisi did.
“I’ve been calling up celebrity tequilas in previous videos, before 818 was announced,” he explains. “I called Elon Musk and his Tesla tequila, Casamigos [by Clooney] and even Dos Hombres mezcal by Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul. “
When it comes to Jenner’s brand in particular, Assis suggests that “few have the level of influence it has”, which can increase the attention – both positive and negative – that it is receiving. “If you want an authentic woman to own and administer tequila, look for ‘La Gritona’. It’s amazing, small plot and owned by women, “he says.
While asserting that “all celebrity tequila” should be avoided in support of supporting Mexican brands, Assis explains that there is a right way to get involved in the industry.
“Just don’t use other people’s culture and history for anything more than capital gain. Respect the culture, don’t pretend you know what it means, don’t claim it as your own, ”he says. “There are many ways to get involved in the sector and not exploit it.”
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