Ibiza, not Ibiza: the global brand for banknote printing

PalmThe truth is, I was tempted to title this article in Spanish. Let's see what the newspaper's management would say. Because we're talking about Ibiza, not Ibiza. If you do a Google search, Ibiza returns 208 million results. Ibiza only returns a measly five million. Ibiza is famous. Pedro Sánchez only returns 107 million results; even if you add Perro Sánchez, he'll only get 18 million more. Ibiza is almost twice as famous as the president of the Spanish government, the most (un)popular man in recent Spanish history. Ibiza is infinitely more famous than the president who governs it, Marga Prohens, who only appears 265,000 times. Ibiza could even compete with Elon Musk, who wins, but not by much, with 284 million results.

If we listen to Google, Ibiza (not Ibiza) is by far the most popular island in the Balearic Islands, even more so than Mallorca, which has six times the population and many more tourists, but only returns 163 million results (how does Mallorca get on with this figure?). I had a quick chat with ChatGPT about the issue; the AI concluded that Ibiza can be considered a "global media brand" linked to "electronic music, nightclubs, and the image of nightlife"; without me explicitly asking it, the AI reminded me that the name Ibiza "is even used in songs, trademarks, clothing, and advertising campaigns around the world."

Dying of Success

"That is the question"Hamlet said before he started killing people in the play that bears his name. "That is the question(but in Catalan from Santa Eulalia del Río) they said on the main floor of the Consell d'Eivissa, while the summer light penetrated the windows and the Ferraris got stuck in the winding streets of Vila. Cano, Ibiza Paradise by Nacho Cano. That's how it's said, with the author's name included in the price. The former Mecano keyboardist not only appropriates the toponym; she also grants us the status of paradise, while informing us of the extraordinary proportions of her ego.

In addition to the 'Nacho Cano case', which the PP team in the Ibiza Council is having a hard time being vilified in The Anthill From Antena 3 (the "free-to-air" and formerly "friendly" channel), the Consell has four other challenges underway against registered trademarks: Godbless Ibiza, Moshka Ibiza, The Ibiza Clothing Company, and Ibiza Fashion TV. The first three are clothing brands, and the fourth is a television channel with a website but no programming. The only one that seems to have some substance and is underway is Moshka Ibiza, which has 3,000 followers on Instagram. Nothing compared to the impact it's causing. Ibiza Paradise by Nacho Cano; on the internet you'll find very few reviews of the show's theatrical quality, but dozens of articles about the controversial Consell d'Eivissa vs. Nacho Cano dispute.

Ibiza (not Ibiza) is in fashion, as I mentioned above. Search for Ibiza on the internet and you'll find it combined with anything. Like a liqueur that could be included in the list of ingredients in any cocktail. For example, songs. We found up to 23 hits that include the word 'Ibiza' in the title, including seven songs simply called 'Ibiza'. The artists cover all styles: Vengaboys, Sandy Marton, Ozuna, The Prodigy, Mike Posner...; reggaeton, hip hop, industrial electronica, italodisco, pop... Except heavy metal, which is clearly incompatible with Ibizan glamour. For example, books. ChatGPT has estimated that there are between 250 and 600 books that include the word 'Ibiza' in the title.

Ibizan air, for sale

The most curious case of Ibiza brand marketing occurred in 2016. An Italian (an ice cream maker by trade, from Turin), named Gianluca Pomo, had the idea of selling packaged Ibiza air. Journalist Ricardo F. Colmenero recounted it this way in The World"The product has been on sale for two months and there's no profit in consuming it." Indeed, especially since the can couldn't even be opened. Aire de Ibiza was sold for 5.90 euros per can. We don't know how many Aire de Ibiza products Gianluca sold, but from what we know, the sales on-line In the end, it didn't work out. Gianluca Pomo called his cans a "local product." And we can't really argue with that. Pomo should at least be credited with bringing the issue into public debate; he managed to shock many Ibizans, who, for decades, hadn't realized the extraordinary value of the air we breathed. That's what living in paradise is like: you breathe luxurious air, but you might end up sleeping in a caravan.

Ibiza?...: No thanks!

And what about Ibiza? The place name Ibiza is experiencing exactly the same thing as the Catalan spoken on the island: it is gradually disappearing from public conversation, relegated to the family or administrative sphere (and not always in the latter case). No administration has ever made a serious commitment to defending the genuine name of the largest of the Pitiusas, to promote it in tourism, commerce, or social settings. It is assumed without any problem or regret that Ibiza, compared to Ibiza, has nothing to do with it. This explains why many Catalan speakers do not even know how to pronounce or write 'Eivissa' correctly; this is the case of the Mallorcans who say "Erbissa" (sic) or the Catalans who pronounce "Ibisa" (yes, with that sound). Not even the local written press supports the official Catalan toponym, as it seems more correct from a journalistic and linguistic point of view. On the contrary; both Ibiza newspaper as Ibiza DiaryThey put the word 'Ibiza' in their headlines as many times as possible, to promote the clickbait or to generate more visits to Google. In this sense, the comparison with some state-run newspaper, such as The Vanguard, which in its Spanish edition always uses the place name in its official Catalan form. Ibiza?...: no thanks!