No other object elicits such childlike joy as a balloon, but up-and-coming balloon company Globitos is taking that feeling to the next level. By imbuing a Latino sense of humor with funky designs, the company's creations are reinvigorating interest in the festive decoration as a new form of expression as well as a medium for cultural pride. Globitos is Spanish for “little balloons,” but it also serves as a double entendre; when elders tell you to practice safe sex, they tell you to pack some globitos (condoms) to protect yourself. “Essentially, we're protecting you from getting plain old balloons,” says company founder Luis Aguilar.
The idea for Globitos hatched when Aguilar was looking for a balloon shaped like a pan dulce concha for a co-worker, but his quest came up empty. He radio jockey Donaji from K-LOVE whether she had seen any anywhere. “She said, 'I'm sure there has to be some; somebody has to have it,'” the SanTana native recalls. But after more than a month searching, the two found none, so they decided to become business partners and start the trend.
Their first design was a limited edition commemorating the anniversary of Tejana singer Selena Quintanilla's death. It features a stenciled image of the singer with the words “Anything for Salinas,” referencing the 1997 film Selena. The balloon sold rapidly, funding a second design: a pink concha. Aguilar says Globitos has more than 200 ideas, but because the company is small, it can only produce so many at a time. However, Aguilar says, one design that has been fast-tracked will address Donald Trump and Latinos for Trump founder Marco Gutierrez's “taco trucks on every corner” comment. “[We want to] release balloons that are inspired by our cultura and speak to Latinos,” Aguilar explains, “and not just Latinos but people who understand and can take the time to understand our Latino-ness.”
To buy your very own Globito, contact the sellers directly through their Instagram (@gl0bit0s), where you can also find hints on the next release, news of upcoming pop-ups and more. But no popping—unless you're into that sort of thing.
Aimee Murillo is calendar editor and frequently covers film and previously contributed to the OCW’s long-running fashion column, Trendzilla. Don’t ask her what her favorite movie is unless you want to hear her lengthy defense of Showgirls.