With Cinco de Mayo approaching soon, it’s a good time to clear up a few misconceptions about the celebration that, for many Americans, includes carnitas, margaritas and, of course, beer and tequila.
Americans know one thing for sure: the holiday is yet another reason to drink. However, Americans are less certain about what Cinco de Mayo means.
Contrary to what more than 40% of Americans believe, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s Independence Day, which is on September 16, according to a YouGov survey. Instead, it commemorates the day of a Mexican victory over France that took place on May 5, 1862. .
Secondly, the holiday is relatively small in Mexico and is not widely celebrated there. Instead, it is mainly observed in Puebla, the state in which the battle took place.
Third, Cinco de Mayo may be more boozy than St. Patrick’s Day and even New Year’s Eve, according to a Numerator survey of more than 5,100 consumers. The survey found that 59% of those celebrating Cinco de Mayo said they planned to purchase alcohol for that day, compared to 53% of respondents who planned to purchase alcohol for New Year’s Eve and 44% for St. Patrick’s Day.
To be fair, New Year’s Eve is perhaps more widely celebrated than the other two holidays. But Cinco de Mayo’s emphasis on alcohol comes against the backdrop of business promotions tailored to the celebration and the changing demographics of Americans, including a rising Hispanic population.
The story of Cinco de Mayo, in which a Mexican underdog force defeated a much larger French contingent, emerged as a powerful symbol of Mexican resistance against oppressors, gaining momentum among Hispanic Americans during the Chicano movement of the 1970s in Texas and California.
Since then, beer companies began targeting the holiday as a way to tap into their growing Latino customer base, the Associated press reported.
In the early 1980s, many breweries were eager to position Cinco de Mayo as a kind of “Mexican St. Patrick’s Day,” according to a report from Wine Enthusiast, with brands like Anheuser-Busch and Miller setting up their own Spanish marketing departments and sponsoring Cinco de Mayo events, while Coors spent millions marketing to Latinx consumers. In 2003, the report states, U.S. beer companies spent more than $5 million on Cinco de Mayo advertising, leading to the sale of more than 100 million bottles of Corona by May 5 of that year.
The beer industry’s stranglehold has continued: Cinco de Mayo is one of the biggest U.S. holidays for beer sales. Quartz reported, and in 2022, commercial beer sales during the week of Cinco de Mayo were 12% higher than an average week in the year.
America’s changing demographics, including a rising Hispanic population, could also explain the holiday’s popularity in the country. Today, about 19% of Americans identify as Hispanic or Latinx, according to U.S. Census Bureau data, up from 16% in 2010.
Today’s celebrations also often include gatherings during sporting events, such as pay-per-view boxing matches featuring famous Mexican or Mexican-American boxers and special holiday games of minor league baseball teams in cities across the country.