Coca-Cola pulls Mexico ad deemed offensive to indigenous

A Coca-Cola Mexico spokesman says the company apologizes and has pulled an online ad after it was deemed offensive to the country's indigenous by consumers, media and advocacy groups.

Director of Publicity Diego Bracamontes says the ad was pulled late Tuesday after about a week online in Mexico, and that the company never meant to offend anyone.

The "Open Your Heart" holiday campaign came under fire with its portrayal of festive, fashion-model-looking white people driving into the remote hills of Oaxaca to haul Coke and a Christmas tree as a service project for the indigenous Mixe community of Totontepec Villa de Morelos.

Bracamontes told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the message was misinterpreted, and that the campaign is about unity and happiness across communities.