In the pantheon of advertising, most commercials are lucky to survive a six-week flight before being relegated to the dusty archives of YouTube. But every once in a decade, a campaign hits a cultural nerve so precisely that it stops being a “commercial” and starts being a part of how we speak.
Enter 2006. Australia. A backyard patio. A family staring down a catastrophic culinary dilemma: Hard shells or soft tortillas?
The solution didn’t come from a focus group or a celebrity spokesperson. It came from a six-year-old girl with a shrug and five simple words: “Por qué no los dos?” (Why not both?).
Nearly two decades later, that phrase is more than a slogan for Old El Paso; it is a global heuristic, a foundational internet meme, and a masterclass in how “remarkability” in advertising can create a legacy that outlives the product itself.
The Genesis: Solving the “Taco Friction”
To understand why this ad worked, we have to look at the state of the Australian dinner table in the mid-2000s. Mexican food was booming, but it was still largely defined by the “convenience kit.” General Mills (the parent company of Old El Paso) identified a recurring pain point in households: the binary choice.
Kids usually wanted the “crunch” of the hard shell. Adults often preferred the “neatness” and texture of the soft flour tortilla. This wasn’t just a preference; it was a friction point that led to compromised shopping trips.
The brilliance of the 2006 campaign was its simplicity. By positioning the brand as the “enabler of abundance,” Old El Paso moved from selling a kit to selling harmony. You didn’t have to choose a side in the Great Taco War of ’06. You could simply have both.
The Human Face: Mia Agraviador and the “Taco Girl” Burden
Every iconic ad needs a face, and for Old El Paso, that face belonged to six-year-old Mia Agraviador. Of Costa Rican, Honduran, and Filipino descent, Mia brought an effortless authenticity to the role. That famous shrug wasn’t just good acting—it was the embodiment of “common sense” that resonated across demographics.
However, being the face of a multi-decadal campaign isn’t always easy. For Mia, the transition from child star to “living meme” was a complex journey:
- The High School Struggle: Imagine trying to form an identity as a teenager when your face is on every bus shelter and television screen. Mia reportedly attended three different high schools in Sydney to escape the constant “Do the line!” requests from peers.
- The Artistic Pivot: To reclaim her identity, Mia turned to the arts. She became a talented painter and dancer, even becoming a finalist for the prestigious Young Archibald Prize at age 15 for a portrait of her brother.
- The Adult Reconciliation: Like many child stars of iconic ads, Mia eventually embraced her legacy. Today, her Instagram bio proudly acknowledges her status as the “Taco Girl,” and she has used that platform to partner with modern, health-conscious brands.
The Digital Metamorphosis: From TV to Tumblr
While the ad was a smash hit in Australia and New Zealand, it was the internet that made it immortal. Around 2009, a low-res GIF of Mia shrugging began appearing on platforms like Reddit and Tumblr.
In a digital landscape defined by “flame wars” and binary debates (Mac vs. PC, Star Wars vs. Star Trek), the “Why Not Both?” meme became the ultimate “mic drop” for neutralizing conflict. It became what linguists call a snowclone—a formulaic phrase that can be adapted to any situation.
Why is the meme so “sticky”?
- Logical Utility: It solves a problem. It’s the perfect response to a false dichotomy.
- Phonetic Rhythm: Even for those who don’t speak Spanish, “Por qué no los dos?” has a catchy, five-syllable cadence.
- The Visual Anchor: The shrug is a universal signifier of “Duh.”
According to Know Your Meme, the entry has garnered nearly 900,000 views and is classified as “Confirmed”—a status reserved for the most significant pillars of digital culture.
Corporate Strategy: The “Remarkability” Framework
General Mills didn’t just get lucky. The success of Old El Paso is tied to a strategy they call “Remarkability.” This involves integrating product innovation with messaging that cuts through the noise.
In recent years, the brand has pivoted to stay relevant to Gen Z and smaller households. In the UK alone, there are over 8.3 million two-person households. Old El Paso’s “Make Some Noise” campaign and their “Sound of Connection” initiative focus on the idea that because tacos require two hands to eat, they are the perfect “phone-free” meal.
The 2022 “Double Layer” Revival
In a brilliant move of “circular marketing,” Old El Paso officially partnered with an adult Mia Agraviador in 2022 to promote the “Double Layer” taco hack (using a soft shell to “glue” a hard shell together with beans or cheese). This campaign didn’t just sell product; it validated a viral TikTok trend using the very person who started the conversation 16 years prior.
The Hijack: Competitive Disruption
The “Taco Girl” legacy is so potent that it has even sparked competitive “hijacking.” In 2024, the Melbourne-based startup Mingle Seasoning hired Mia to be the face of their healthy, keto-friendly Mexican range.
The campaign, titled “Por qué no los Mingle?”, was a direct shot at the market leader. It used the nostalgia of the original ad to position a newer, “cleaner” alternative. This illustrates a fascinating shift: Mia Agraviador has moved from being a corporate asset to a versatile influencer who can disrupt the very category she helped build.
The Power of Inclusive Choice
Why does an ad from 2006 still matter in 2026? Because the “Why Not Both?” philosophy is the ultimate answer to the paradox of choice. Old El Paso succeeded because they didn’t just sell corn and flour; they sold a solution to a universal human friction. They gave us a linguistic tool to navigate a world that constantly tries to make us pick a side.
So, the next time you’re stuck between two great options—whether it’s software features, career paths, or dinner ingredients—just remember the shrug of a six-year-old girl from Sydney.
Por qué no los dos?
