Apr 25, 2008

The Pancho Villa Ad

I have to share this one just because it made me laugh. While in San Francisco, we went to a small restaurant half Mexican, half Dominican, in the Mission neighborhood (that is mostly Mexican).

While having lunch I noticed what seems to be a very old poster framed, hanging above a door, with a Pancho Villa claiming "I want you, Gringo". After lunch I decided to take a closer look and I find it pretty funny. So I decided to take a picture of it and here it is:

What made everything even funnier was that while I was taking the pictures a very old Spanish speaking lady approached me and asked "Who is that guy?".
When I answered "Pancho Villa, I guess" she started shaking her head and repeating in loud voice "Oh my God, Pancho Villa, mira, Pancho Villa, es Pancho Villa". She seemed totally impressed by that.

The waiter at the restaurant didn't know enough about the poster. And while it seems "fake" to me, while looking online to see if I could find more info about it, I found some t-shirts with the same image that according to the company selling them are based on "vintage posters" from the Mexican Revolution. (the T-Shirts do not have the whole thing, just the image and the "I want you, Gringo")

Is difficult to believe that this "ad" was made a couple of years before Uncle Sam started his famous "I want you" campaign for the US Army, but I guess anything is possible. My knowledge about the Mexican revolution is pretty superficial, but I do know that they wanted the US to intervene -so again-, something like this may have been part of their propaganda. If that was the case, I guess that whoever came up with the Uncle Sam poster was "inspired" by this poster. Or maybe it was a fairly ordinary pattern, the same way that the "Wanted: Dead or Alive" was at some point.

The whole thing reads (sic):

fight in the
and be proud to ride with
Nearest recruiting station
Juarez, Mexico
Dynamiters - Machinegunners
Viva - January 1915 - Viva

Totally faked or based in something real, it is impossible not to smile at the naivete of the message, as well as the "open positions" or the bonus offered in the form of pride.

If anyone out there knows more about the poster, please let us know!


Anonymous said...

It is only announcements done in the times of the Mexican revolution, and if you allow me to correct your commentaries Pancho villa nontapeworm intention of the intervention of EUA in internal problems of Mexico, only foot the aid of free men not concerning the nationality, to fight by a right cause… if you want but information visits wikipedia

Anonymous said...

I do not know if it is a real ad of the Mexican revolution. But what I really know is that Pancho Villa dropped some bombs using an airplane over Columbia as a revenge for the stolen territories in 1847, and I think that is why this ad includes such a sentence "I want you gringo". And the rest of the message is just a joke. I am almost sure it is a fake ad, but a funny one.

Anonymous said...

It is not fake, it's real. Pancho Villa was recruiting not only in Mexico, but in the U.S. to fight against the corrupt government at the time. And a lot of "gringos" actually did join the Mexican revolution, because they faught for a cause, which was to free the people from oppression. If I'm not mistaken, I think it was mostly Irish who joined villa, because they were being treated badly in the U.S. and knew what it was like. I don't understand how people like you only care about what happens in the U.S. and are oblivious to everything else around the world. Ignorant bastard!

Anonymous said...

Don't you love the spurious comments like the guy above who reckons there were planes in 1847! What a dork...

Anonymous said...

hey guy above of me I understand your comment about the other guy but you don't understand. the US take part of mexico in 1847, but the Mexican revolution start in 1910. it was a late VENGANZA, PICHE GRINGO!

Anonymous said...


Yours Truly,

Anonymous said...

Всех с наступающим Новым Годом!!!