Unpublished photos of Selena show the Tejano star on the cusp of massive multicultural appeal
The Latin singer’s work for Coca-Cola brought representation of Hispanic Americans into the nation’s living rooms
Selena was a cultural idol to millions. When “The Queen of Tejano Music” became a spokeswoman for Coca-Cola, it was a big deal. Not only was this young Latina the new face of an iconic American brand, she was proof of the importance of the Hispanic market in this country.
By the time her bilingual cola ads hit Southwest airwaves in 1989, Selena already knew the importance of identity and representation. She’d earned respect in a male-dominated, Spanish-language genre—all while aiming to eventually record pop songs in English, her first language. Her father and record label played up her heritage to cultivate a regional following, however, biding time until mass appeal was within reach. So she sang in a language she didn’t speak and incorporated Mexican motifs into her wardrobe. Later she balanced sensuality with her conservative religious background and a desire to be a role model for young girls.
These images shot by Al Rendon — some published, some unreleased — capture Selena at the intersection of cultures and styles, marketability and true self. Al Aguilar of the pioneering Hispanic marketing agency Sosa, Bromley, Aguilar & Associates brought the young singer, whom he’d met during the 1985 Tejano Music Awards, to his former employer Coca-Cola as the focus of a scalable campaign. As Selena’s audience spread beyond her Texas base, so did the ads—until both went national.
Selena was murdered on March 31, 1995, months before her breakthrough album Dreaming of You hit stores. She never saw its impact, but America saw a young Latina, singing in Spanish and English, top the national charts. Tejano music and, by extension Mexican-American culture found itself in the national spotlight. Two years later Selena’s biopic, starring an up-and-coming Jennifer Lopez, was released by Warner Bros. Selena had crossed over into the mainstream and proved that the mainstream couldn’t ignore the role of Hispanics in America anymore.
A new display featuring Selena’s work for Coca-Cola is now part of the National Museum of American History’s American Enterprise exhibit at the Smithsonian.
