Old iron advertising in English, is it already used in CDMX?

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The old iron advertising was renewed as a parody due to gentrification issues.

TikTok user reopened the controversy over the transformed audio.

This is a simple example of how rebranding works for brands.

According to the RAE, gentrification means renewing an urban area, generally popular or deteriorated, through a process that implies the displacement of its original population by another with greater purchasing power.

In Mexico City, this problem has been increasing in neighborhoods such as Roma, Condesa, and Polanco, to name a few. This was triggered to a large extent due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the new remote work model, which resulted in foreigners coming to live in these colonies and with it the increase in rents to such a level that many people have been displaced.

The UNAM reports that the problem is when new players with more resources enter into competition in these areas of high demand, with other commercial interests that are changing the business of selling or renting houses, for the lodging rental modality in the short term that is managed by transnational digital platforms.

“In recent years, short-term hosting platforms, such as Airbnb and many others, what they do is integrate into that competition other players and people who are in a more privileged economic condition, particularly those who earn in dollars or in euros and they are usually in another part of the world”, commented an academic from UNAM.

Old iron advertising in English

Several weeks ago, Omar Villegaz, content creator ironized about the new ways in which gentrification would be expressed in neighborhoods where there are a significant number of foreigners; he recreated the iconic old iron advertising audio, but in English.

“We’re buying matresses, drums, refrigerators, stoves, washing machines, microwaves or some old iron that you’re selling”.

In Spanish he says: ” Se compran, colchones, tambores, estufas, lavadoras, microondas o algo de fierro viejo que venda.”

This audio quickly became a trend on social networks because, as a comedy, it represented a problem that has gained great relevance in the country’s capital.

However, Luis Uribe, TikTok user (@lospaysdeluigi), was the one who created this version of the audio in English.

Another TikTok user @dalmazanm1, shared a video where a van dedicated to buying old iron is passing through the streets of the Narvarte neighborhood, David recorded that moment and attached Villegaz’s audio to it, unleashing a series of comments from the Internet users, such as: “That it was not cultural heritage”, “WITH THE SOUND OF OLD IRON, NOO”, “At least people can now learn some new words in English”.

This example of audio renewal exemplifies what great brands do to survive: renew or die, or rather, rebranding. This strategy is very risky, so companies must present their ideas well and communicate them effectively, because a poorly done rebranding can mean great losses in sales.

This not only implies a change of logo, but of other elements such as fonts, color palette, naming, personality, products or services, communication tone, marketing strategy and everything that configures a brand.

Changing the audio of the old iron in English, far from being a parody, speaks of renewal in terms of how to offer products and services in areas where gentrification has had the greatest impact. In some comments on the aforementioned video, one of the Internet users commented that she attended a restaurant in the Roma neighborhood where the entire menu was in English.

Source: Merca20