Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream has decided to change the name and marketing scheme of its Eskimo Pies:
“We are committed to being a part of the solution on racial equality, and recognize the term is derogatory,” the company’s head of marketing said in a statement.“This move is part of a larger review to ensure our company and brands reflect our people values,” the company added.Along with the name change, the company will alter the treat’s marketing scheme, which traditionally featured a young boy dressed as an Eskimo in a snowy environment.
The term Eskimo is considered derogatory. However, it seems most in Alaska have accepted it:
Although the name “Eskimo” is commonly used in Alaska to refer to all Inuit and Yupik people of the world, this name is considered derogatory in many other places because it was given by non-Inuit people and was said to mean “eater of raw meat.”Linguists now believe that “Eskimo” is derived from an Ojibwa word meaning “to net snowshoes.” However, the people of Canada and Greenland prefer other names. “Inuit,” meaning “people,” is used in most of Canada, and the language is called “Inuktitut” in eastern Canada although other local designations are used also. The Inuit people of Greenland refer to themselves as “Greenlanders” or “Kalaallit” in their language, which they call “Greenlandic” or “Kalaallisut.”Most Alaskans continue to accept the name “Eskimo,” particularly because “Inuit” refers only to the Inupiat of northern Alaska, the Inuit of Canada, and the Kalaallit of Greenland, and it is not a word in the Yupik languages of Alaska and Siberia.
Many companies have changed their brands since the death of George Floyd: Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben’s, and Cream of Wheat.
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