Kendall Jenner's Tequila Launch Faces Backlash
Kendall Jenner's Tequila Launch Faces Backlash
She announced 818 Tequila yesterday.
It took less than 24 hours for Kendall Jenner's tequila brand to come under fire. Almost as soon as Jenner made the announcement, saying that she'd worked for more than four years to craft 818 Tequila, what she's calling the world's best-tasting tequila, critics came forward accusing Jenner of exploiting Mexican culture.
"For almost 4 years I've been on a journey to create the best-tasting tequila. after dozens of blind taste tests, trips to our distillery, entering into world tasting competitions anonymously and WINNING ... 3.5 years later i think we've done it!" Jenner wrote in her post. "This is all we've been drinking for the last year and i can't wait for everyone else to get their hands on this to enjoy it as much as we do! @drink818 coming soon."
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Tequila traditionally comes from the Jalisco region in Mexico (818 does come from the area) and requires difficult work, from growing and harvesting agave plants to the actual bottling and production. Twitter users called Jenner out, not only mentioning that her launch could overshadow local producers and small businesses but pointing out that the name of the liquor, 818, is an homage to Calabasas, not to Mexico. It's the area code for Jenner's hometown.
Kendall Jenner coming out with her own tequila brand... what’s next on the Kardashian/Jenner colonization list?
— Karls (@mskarla_) February 16, 2021
Their entire family only does stuff for money, im not surprised. Instead of lifting up some other smaller brands, they'd rather sell themselves out for lucrative big name brand deals than give anything for free.
— stillmilli (@stillmilli) February 17, 2021
Hey @KendallJenner, respectfully, as I say to my toddler, “it’s a no” regarding you hand making the best tequila in the world.
Too many actual people, namely Mexicans, actually made with their actual hands the tequila in which you are actually just endorsing, at best. No bueno.— Amanda Victoria (@amandagoodeye) February 16, 2021
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
No one:
Not one single soul:
Kendall Jenner: “For years I’ve been working to craft the worlds best tasting tequila.” pic.twitter.com/ftmhoXAMAv— M@ (@AsMattTweetsIt) February 16, 2021
When I saw Kendall Jenner’s “tequila” post pic.twitter.com/YQNBtEs5O3
— Ashley Ruby (@justboredteehee) February 17, 2021
What in the name of Agave does she know of Tequila ?
— Hernan de la Torre (@HernandelaTorr9) February 17, 2021
Kendall stupid Jenner making tequila in Jalisco and them saying it’s the best/smoothest tequila they’ve ever had does not mf sit right with me
— Aylin (@aylinnrebecca) February 16, 2021
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Twitter also rallied around smaller brands, with an entire thread sharing options with anyone looking to support local producers.
So here’s a thread of Mexican tequila brands you should support instead of Kendall Jenner’s, Nick Jonas or Dwayne Johnson’s. pic.twitter.com/lL4TexGTuY
— Dagger 🗡 (@daggervengeance) February 17, 2021
Jenner isn't the only celebrity selling tequila, however. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Nick Jonas, and, famously, George Clooney and Rande Gerber all have their own lines of tequila.
