Contrary to popular belief a real Banana Republic is not a popular clothing store. As defined by Dictionary.com a banana republic is a small nation, especially in Central America, dependent on one crop or the influx of foreign capital. Banana republics are negative because of they allow big fruit companies to control much of the economies of these small nations with little regard for the well being of the nation.These big fruit companies are so focused on profit that the care of the workers takes a back seat. The health of the crop is more important than the health of their workers and the surrounding towns. Since these crops are generally a monocrop it is very dangerous for these fragile countries. Any disease or pest can wipe out whole fields
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Mentioned in the documentary the film Bananas! was sued by the Dole Food Company back in 2009. Dole sued filmmaker Fredrik Gertten on the grounds of defamation. The film was about Nicaraguan banana workers who sued their employers for exposing them to pesticides. Their employers were the Dole Food Company. The company sent many letters and tried to influence the Los Angeles Film Festival to not screen the film. When they failed to prevent the release of the movie they resorted to legal action (Glover, CBS). A judge also involved with the case also acknowledged that she has no control of freedom of speech and refused to make a ruling to stop the film. Despite their claims of the film not being fact based Dole has never seen the film. Gertten states “We follow a court drama - an important historic case. If the workers win, it will mean a lot for other workers in the world who claim that they have been abused.” he also mentioned that his film is not the activist film that Dole fears it to be (WG Film). This is important because large food companies that profit off of banana republic do not wish to be exposed. Therefore when a film about the very issues within their companies release they do everything they can to stop it in turn not ruining their …show more content…
Some of these advertising tricks were mentioned in Banana Land Blood, Bullets and Poison. One that stands out the most is the Chiquita banana commercial that released in the 1940’s. The commercial was a pleasing song on how to eat and take care of your bananas all being taught by a banana herself. Some recommendations are bananas in salad or in a pie, “anyway you want to eat them it’s impossible to beat them” (chiquita). When suggesting how to take care of your bananas you are reminded that bananas are grown in the equator therefore they like hot temperatures. The commercials warns you to never put bananas in the refrigerator. Next we are told that doctors are recommending the wonderful bananas to babies, since the fruit is so good for the baby everyone should eat it too. The commercial ends with the female banana repeating “Ci!”. This advertisement created the use of bananas in the everyday american diet where it did not exist before. With its recommendations on how to enjoy it to its stating that doctors suggest bananas for babies Americans were convinced that they need to introduce bananas into their diet. Another clever marketing trip that Chiquita used is their recommendation for storage. As said in the documentary Banana Land Blood, Bullets and Poison its okay to put your bananas in the fridge they will just last longer and the banana companies will sell fewer bananas.
Mentioned in the documentary the film Bananas! was sued by the Dole Food Company back in 2009. Dole sued filmmaker Fredrik Gertten on the grounds of defamation. The film was about Nicaraguan banana workers who sued their employers for exposing them to pesticides. Their employers were the Dole Food Company. The company sent many letters and tried to influence the Los Angeles Film Festival to not screen the film. When they failed to prevent the release of the movie they resorted to legal action (Glover, CBS). A judge also involved with the case also acknowledged that she has no control of freedom of speech and refused to make a ruling to stop the film. Despite their claims of the film not being fact based Dole has never seen the film. Gertten states “We follow a court drama - an important historic case. If the workers win, it will mean a lot for other workers in the world who claim that they have been abused.” he also mentioned that his film is not the activist film that Dole fears it to be (WG Film). This is important because large food companies that profit off of banana republic do not wish to be exposed. Therefore when a film about the very issues within their companies release they do everything they can to stop it in turn not ruining their …show more content…
Some of these advertising tricks were mentioned in Banana Land Blood, Bullets and Poison. One that stands out the most is the Chiquita banana commercial that released in the 1940’s. The commercial was a pleasing song on how to eat and take care of your bananas all being taught by a banana herself. Some recommendations are bananas in salad or in a pie, “anyway you want to eat them it’s impossible to beat them” (chiquita). When suggesting how to take care of your bananas you are reminded that bananas are grown in the equator therefore they like hot temperatures. The commercials warns you to never put bananas in the refrigerator. Next we are told that doctors are recommending the wonderful bananas to babies, since the fruit is so good for the baby everyone should eat it too. The commercial ends with the female banana repeating “Ci!”. This advertisement created the use of bananas in the everyday american diet where it did not exist before. With its recommendations on how to enjoy it to its stating that doctors suggest bananas for babies Americans were convinced that they need to introduce bananas into their diet. Another clever marketing trip that Chiquita used is their recommendation for storage. As said in the documentary Banana Land Blood, Bullets and Poison its okay to put your bananas in the fridge they will just last longer and the banana companies will sell fewer bananas.