Juan Valdez
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| Juan Valdez | |
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 Juan Valdez stylized logo |
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| Agency: | DDB Worldwide |
| Client: | Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia |
| Title: | Disfrute de un buen cafe! (Enjoy a good coffee!) |
| Product(s): | Colombian coffee |
| Year: | 1959 |
Juan Valdez is a fictional character that has appeared in advertisements for the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia since 1959, representing the Colombian coffee farmer. He typically appears alongside his mule Conchita, carrying sacks of harvested coffee beans. He has become an icon for Colombia as well as coffee in general.
The advertisements were designed by the Doyle Dane Bernbach ad agency, with the goal of distinguishing 100%-Colombian coffee from coffee blended with beans from other countries. Juan Valdez was initially portrayed by José F. Duval in both print advertisements and on television until 1969. José Duval died in 1993 at the age of 72. [1]
Juan Valdez has been embodied by Carlos Sánchez since 1969 and voiced by Norman Rose. In 2006, Sánchez announced his retirement[2], and Carlos Castañeda, a grower from the town of Andes , Antioquia, was selected[3] by the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia as the new face of Juan Valdez. [4]
The Juan Valdez character is used as an ingredient brand, to specifically denote coffee beans that are only grown and harvested in Colombia.[5] Part of the advertising campaign includes educating consumers about the merits of Colombian-grown and harvested coffee beans, "including how soil components, altitude, varieties and harvesting methods create good flavor."[5] The National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia is entirely owned and controlled by Colombia's coffee farmers, (cafeteros) which numbers over 500,000 people. [6]
The name "Juan Valdez" is by no means unique, as both Juan and Valdez are common Hispanic names and there are possibly thousands of men with this name alive today; this became relevant in a 2006 lawsuit over the phrase "Juan Valdez drinks Costa Rican coffee".
Juan Valdez's iconic appearance is frequently mimicked or parodied in television and other media.
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Wikinews has related news: Too Grimm? Mother Goose cartoonist sued by Colombian coffee growers |
The National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia is planning to sue cartoonist Mike Peters, creator of Mother Goose & Grimm, for a cartoon talking about Juan Valdez and Colombian coffee. The lawsuit was filed on Friday Jan 9 2009 for a minimum of $20 million.[7]
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[edit] Gallery
 An actor plays Juan Valdez at the National Coffee Park in Montenegro, Colombia. |
 Carlos Sanchez, the "old" Juan Valdez. |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Jose F. Duval Is Dead; Actor and Singer, 72, New York Times, March 6 1993
- ^ Juan Valdez going on permanent coffee break, MSNBC, June 1 2006
- ^ Being Juan Valdez, Salon, October 17, 2007
- ^ Wanted: Actor. Must work with mule., CBC News, May 31 2006
- ^ a b Juan Valdez Travels the World, Sends Profits Home to Colombia from America.gov
- ^ Cafe de Colombia - 70 years of fair and ethical trading from Colombian Specialty Coffee
- ^ No Coffee break for Juan Valdez cartoon.,San Francisco Chronicle, Jan 8 2006
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Juan Valdez |
- The National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia - Official website (English)
- The National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia - Official website (Spanish)
