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Post by M. Hawbaker on Jun 17, 2020 14:36:38 GMT
The Aunt Jemima brand of syrup and pancake mix will get a new name and image, Quaker Oats announced Wednesday, saying the company recognizes that "Aunt Jemima's origins are based on a racial stereotype."
The 130-year-old brand features a Black woman named Aunt Jemima, who was originally dressed as a minstrel character.
The picture has changed over time, and in recent years Quaker removed the “mammy” kerchief from the character to blunt growing criticism that the brand perpetuated a racist stereotype that dated to the days of slavery. But Quaker, a subsidiary of PepsiCo, said removing the image and name is part of an effort by the company “to make progress toward racial equality.”
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Post by M. Hawbaker on Jun 17, 2020 14:37:46 GMT
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Post by barb43 on Jun 17, 2020 15:07:18 GMT
We really shouldn't be surprised.  I remember the bottle having this shape:  And then, this version came along in 1969 - no more person-shaped bottle, but still Nancy Green's face on the label.  Don't think I ever gave it much thought, as this was not the brand of syrup my mother bought. I should google "Uncle Ben's Rice" and see if that is still around. If it is,that will probably be the next stereotype to go.  |
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Post by M. Hawbaker on Jun 17, 2020 15:16:35 GMT
Rice brand Uncle Ben’s is “evolving” its visual identity in an effort to address racial bias and injustices, parent company Mars, Incorporated said Wednesday. “As a global brand, we know we have a responsibility to take a stand in helping to put an end to racial bias and injustices,” a Mars spokesperson said in a statement to HuffPost. The statement continued: “As we listen to the voices of consumers, especially in the Black community, and to the voices of our Associates worldwide, we recognize that one way we can do this is by evolving the Uncle Ben’s brand, including its visual brand identity.” The exact changes and timing are still being decided, but “all possibilities” are being evaluated, the spokesperson said. Uncle Ben’s logo features an illustration of a Black man, whose clothing has changed over time from a bowtie to a white collar. The character first appeared in ads in 1946 and has long been criticized as racist.
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Post by barb43 on Jun 17, 2020 15:33:24 GMT
What comes to mind, reading about Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben, is the Wicked Witch from The Wizard of Oz saying, "What a world! What a world!" as she was melting. I'm not a wicked witch, and I'm not melting, but that's still the way I'm feeling this morning.
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Post by M. Hawbaker on Jun 17, 2020 23:01:18 GMT
Cream of Wheat is currently under pressure from social media users to remove its mascot over racist origins. After Quaker Foods announced their plans to rehaul the name and image of Aunt Jemima pancake syrup, people began taking note of other brands that have continued to use Black characters that were created with racist connotations. The owner of Uncle Ben's rice, Mars, eventually announced plans to change the product and company's "brand identity." Conagra, which produces Mrs. Butterworth's syrup, said that it will be conducting a complete brand and packaging review. Cream of Wheat owner has yet to make a statement on whether they plan to evaluate their mascot, known as Rastus. Notably, the character's name has in the past been used as a generic and derogatory way to refer to black men.
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Post by M. Hawbaker on Jun 17, 2020 23:04:02 GMT
Add another iconic brand to the list of companies under review. Following decisions by Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben’s to overhaul their imaging in the wake of renewed calls for racial equality, Conagra Brands also announced Wednesday it has “begun a complete brand and packaging review on Mrs. Butterworth's.” “The Mrs. Butterworth's brand, including its syrup packaging, is intended to evoke the images of a loving grandmother,” Conagra Brands said in a statement Wednesday. “We stand in solidarity with our Black and Brown communities and we can see that our packaging may be interpreted in a way that is wholly inconsistent with our values.”
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Post by barb43 on Jun 18, 2020 0:46:42 GMT
Ha! In the thread on Aunt Jemima, I was thinking of Mrs. Butterworth - I can't even tell the 2 apart! What does that say?!?  |
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Post by M. Hawbaker on Jun 18, 2020 15:53:44 GMT
Ha! In the thread on Aunt Jemima, I was thinking of Mrs. Butterworth - I can't even tell the 2 apart! What does that say?!? The most ridiculous part about Mrs Buttersworth getting caught up in this nonsense is the simple fact that every single actress who has provided the character's voice over the years have been white. |
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Post by M. Hawbaker on Jun 18, 2020 16:07:44 GMT
We were getting so many different threads about "racially insensitive" products that I decided to merge them all into Aunt Jemima thread.
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Post by M. Hawbaker on Jun 18, 2020 16:09:58 GMT
I really hope that when all of the supposedly "racist" products that are currently being renamed and rebranded finally come back into the stores, that the new packaging and new names are not so different that I can't tell which ones they are.
Both Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben's are among my preferred brands that I buy often.
I especially like Uncle Ben's brown rice which just seems to consistently turn out better for me than any other brand that I have tried.
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Post by barb43 on Jun 20, 2020 2:27:44 GMT
I went shopping yesterday afternoon, my weekly trip, and we didn't need much. I decided to pick up these brands that included supposedly "racist" mascots so I could save the packages as reminders of 'the day the music died', for want of a better phrase. There were no bottle of Mrs. Butterworth syrup nor Aunt Jemima syrup, but I did find a box of Aunt Jemima Pancake Mix, a box of Cream of Wheat cereal, and some Uncle Ben's rice. There were many, many varieties of Uncle Ben's rice, so I picked up 3 that I'm pretty sure we'll enjoy eating. I liked the Aunt Jemima toaster pancakes but I haven't been able to get those for years - I don't even know if they still make them. I had to photograph my score, I was so pleased.   |
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Post by barb43 on Jun 21, 2020 15:23:42 GMT
We had turkey cutlets with fresh asparagus & portabello mushrooms last night, and I fixed that packet of Uncle Ben's Mushroom Risotto. The rice went well with the main dish.  Dinner was very tasty.  |
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Dinner was very tasty. 