Colombian stereotypes: Colombia fights back

Call it “The Narcos effect.”

No sooner do members of Vancouver’s Colombian community protest the opening of the city’s newest Latin-themed bar bearing that infamous name than a new marketing campaign hits our social feeds.

Dubbed “The Colombian Ambush,” the campaign directly addresses the country’s stereotype as a country plagued by drug lords and corrupt cops. The campaign was financed by Bancolombia, the newspaper El Colombiano, and Medellín City Hall. It was conceived by Colombian native Ciro Sarmiento of the Dallas-based multicultural agency Dieste.

Tired of the negative perceptions of his country, Sarmiento’s campaign seeks to unite Colombians in becoming ambassadors for the real Colombia.

It’s also what I’m trying to show with this blog.

The four short films were directed by Colombian filmmaker Simon Brand and feature Colombian actors who’ve appeared in narco dramas.

I think it’s really smart. It uses narco-drama tropes to bring viewers into a familiar context. Then it uses that familiarity to introduce a surprising new piece of information that few viewers would know.

To wit: instead of bullets and betrayals, the films highlight Colombia’s cultural and historical treasures such as Nobel Prize-winning author Gabriel Garcia Marquez, its Museo del Oro (Gold Museum), its rich biosphere, even its contributions to space exploration.

Have a look, and follow the campaign using #ColombianAmbush.

“The Real Patron of Colombia”

“The Real Hidden Treasures of Colombia”

“See the Real Targets in their Sights”

“What Colombian Women Really Have to Offer”