Accent xenophobia is a common form of social discrimination associated with many stereotypes and prejudices. In Spain, this kind of discrimination usually happens in the South because of the strong accent spoken in this area. In the street, on TV and even in Parliament, it is common to hear expressions about the way Andalusians speak, expressions that aim to offend and mock their accent. But Cruzcampo, a popular beer brand from the South of Spain, decided to celebrate its accent instead of hiding it.

To do so, Cruzcampo brought back to life the popular Andalusian singer Lola Flores. Also known as “La Faraona” (The Pharaoh), the singer died over 25 years ago, but we have been able to see her in action once again thanks to deepfake technology: Cruzcampo has launched a new ad featuring a digital reconstruction of the singer, to share an important message for today’s generation: be proud of your roots. This commercial is a celebration of the diversity of Spanish accents. The stigmas on the accent, which Andalusians endure so often, are brought down by a claim of pride, for empowerment, or as Lola Flores says itself: “el poderío”.

During her speech, the images of the singer interact with those of different Andalusian cultural references nowadays: from Hablatuandaluz, a group who advocates for the Andalusian voices, to the music band Califato ¾ -responsible for the music of the spot- and the young artist María José Llergo, who even “talks” to Lola at the end of the commercial.

“Do you know why I was understood all over the world? Because of my accent,” says a virtual Lola Flores. “And I’m not just referring to the way I talk”, she continues.

To resurrect Lola Flores in this ad, more than 5000 photographs have been used. A similar process has also been applied to recreate her voice; using different audio tracks of the singer and the help of her daughters (also singers) has been possible to create a reliable pattern of her voice. Because there is no doubt that accent can be a heavy weapon of empowerment.

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