Aeromexico stuns Americans who don't like Mexico with DNA results

Apparently there are people who refuse to travel to Mexico. Maybe they hate warm weather and good food? Or maybe all the rhetoric about “bad hombres” has gotten to them. It’s ironic, because many of the people who’ve written off our southern neighbor live in U.S. states that used to be part of Mexico. And because genes don’t recognize political boundaries, people in those states are more likely to have Mexican heritage, whatever their political beliefs. Aeroméxico, the national airline of Mexico, decided to prove that fact and drum up a little business at the same time. Traveling throughout the Southwest U.S., the airline and agency Ogilvy Mexico found people who insisted they’d never want to go to Mexico. Then they gave them DNA tests to reveal any Mexican ancestry and offered flights with discounts based on the results. The more Mexican DNA, the higher the discount. In Wharton, Texas, Bill admits he likes tequila and burritos, but he doesn’t like Mexico. Still, he seems pleased to find that he’s 18 percent Mexican, which entitles him to an 18 percent discount. He’s also 3.6 percent more Mexican than his wife, a fact he can’t help but crow about. Not everyone is happy about their results, at least not initially. “That’s bullshit!” exclaims one Texan, after finding out he’s 22 percent Mexican. But he’s quickly mollified by his whopping 22 percent discount. Poor Betsy only gets 3 percent off. After Texas, the project continued through Colorado, Utah and Nevada. All told, 54 percent of the people tested showed some Mexican heritage. Remember, these were all people who said they’d never want to visit. It’s not the first time Aeroméxico has tweaked anti-immigrant policies. In 2016, during the heat of the presidential campaign, the airline lampooned the very idea of borders. “On land, borders can maintain distances, but in the sky, we show you it's different.”

Aeromexico stuns Americans who don't like Mexico with DNA results

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