Brian in Boston 2,720 Posted February 10 PepsiCo - owner of American food conglomerate Quaker Oats - has announced the replacement for the Aunt Jemima brand: Pearl Milling Company. Founded in St. Joseph, Missouri in 1888, the original Pearl Milling Company sold its excess flour as a self-rising pancake mix that was eventually marketed with the Aunt Jemima brand. In June of 2020, PepsiCo and Quaker Oats announced that the Aunt Jemima name and logo would be retired and replaced in an effort "to make progress toward racial equality". The new name, logo, and packaging will launch in June of this year. 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dilbert 936 Posted February 10 It just looks very bland. 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
walkerws 525 Posted February 10 32 minutes ago, Dilbert said: It just looks very bland. Ts basically the same as Aunt Jemima. Just no caricature on it. 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
burgundy 2,105 Posted February 10 I understand the historical significance of the new name, but woof... what a clunker. Why not Auntie Pearl, just with no character on the label? 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cujo 4,797 Posted February 10 On a related note: Uncle Ben's was on its way out also, right? 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TrueYankee26 1,130 Posted February 10 1 hour ago, Cujo said: On a related note: Uncle Ben's was on its way out also, right? Correct 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cujo 4,797 Posted February 10 2 minutes ago, TrueYankee26 said: Correct Can you also confirm a Cracker Barrel logo change? 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dilbert 936 Posted February 10 2 hours ago, Cujo said: On a related note: Uncle Ben's was on its way out also, right? Uncle Ben's is now Bens Original. Eskimo Pie is now Edy's Pie. Mrs Buttersworth has simply changed the bottle, Cream of Wheat has dropped the man from their logo 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the admiral 28,760 Posted February 10 It's still a bottle of high fructose corn syrup, it's just not racist now. 8 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dont care 6,571 Posted February 10 It looks like generic brand now. 4 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the admiral 28,760 Posted February 10 13 hours ago, walkerws said: Ts basically the same as Aunt Jemima. Just no caricature on it. The caricature has been gone since before I was born. It was just a photorealistic illustration of a black woman. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MBurmy 1,138 Posted February 10 It appears the Pearl Milling Company is following the same philosophy as the Washington Football Team here: "If our brand can't be the most racially problematic on the market, we'll just make it the most BORING!" 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BBTV 20,138 Posted February 10 4 minutes ago, MBurmy said: "If our brand can't be the most racially problematic on the market, we'll just make it the most BORING!" Apparently there are people that think it's more "racially problematic" (sort of.) I forget where, but I was reading some things this morning about how some people are upset that a company would remove a black woman from their label during black history month and it's just another example of systemic racism. I guess that's a take... probably not the best one. 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lana_del_Bae 90 Posted February 10 2 hours ago, BBTV said: Apparently there are people that think it's more "racially problematic" (sort of.) I forget where, but I was reading some things this morning about how some people are upset that a company would remove a black woman from their label during black history month and it's just another example of systemic racism. I guess that's a take... probably not the best one. Some people just exist to be miserable, living their life one grievance at a time. 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ferdinand Cesarano 4,561 Posted February 10 They've kept the same aesthetic, the same colours, even the same font. Very good job on all of that. And the name being "boring" is a plus, as that name feels like something that could have been around for decades. I find the choice to strike just the right tone. My small regret is that I wish the name could have utilised that font's distinctive capital J. Still, I'd say that the goal of maintaining continuity while correcting the existing problems has been met. While, from the ideal standpoint, there would be nothing wrong with a realistic-looking Black woman on a box of any given product, in the context of this particular brand and its former name, no image of a Black woman, no matter how realistic, could escape being read as somehow demeaning. Let us realise that the Washington football club's former helmet logo was, in itself, not insulting; indeed, that drawing of a Native man would, in other contexts, probably be perceived as dignified. But, in connection with the team's nickname, it took on a whole different meaning. This is related to the reason that no depiction of a Black woman could be present on the boxes belonging to this brand.. 35 minutes ago, Lana_del_Bae said: Some people just exist to be miserable, living their life one grievance at a time. Now there's a singularly awful take. The symbolism involved in this brand is fraught. And the conversation amongst Black observers of diverse viewpoints about what is appropriate to replace the brand's former name and imagery is one that is definitely worthwhile. 4 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SFGiants58 14,213 Posted February 10 (edited) 14 hours ago, Dilbert said: Cream of Wheat has dropped the man from their logo Has anybody seen Nightdreams? I can't unsee a certain inappropriate scene involving a guy dressed as the Cream of Wheat box. Edited February 10 by SFGiants58 Removed the link to the image - you can DuckDuckGo it at your own risk 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
B-Rich 1,221 Posted February 10 4 hours ago, the admiral said: The caricature has been gone since before I was born. It was just a photorealistic illustration of a black woman. Brings to my mind a song lyric from Public Enemy back in 1990, shortly after the change: "For what they play Aunt Jemima is the perfect termEven if now she got a perm" 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cujo 4,797 Posted February 11 17 hours ago, Dilbert said: Uncle Ben's is now Bens Original. How's that any different? 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
walkerws 525 Posted February 11 1 hour ago, Cujo said: How's that any different? It removes the condescending Uncle. 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BryanSmalls 111 Posted February 11 The new name reads like an inappropriate maneuver. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites