Quaker Oats, a subsidiary of PepsiCo, decided to change the name and image of its popular brand Aunt Jemima.
The company said that “Aunt Jemima’s origins are based on a racial stereotype.”
Everything has come under fire after the death of George Floyd.
I wonder if people even know that “Aunt Jemima was first ‘brought to life’ by Nancy Green, a black woman who was formerly enslaved and became the face of the product in 1890.
From NBC News:
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.”“We recognize Aunt Jemima’s origins are based on a racial stereotype,” Kristin Kroepfl, vice president and chief marketing officer of Quaker Foods North America, said in a press release. “As we work to make progress toward racial equality through several initiatives, we also must take a hard look at our portfolio of brands and ensure they reflect our values and meet our consumers’ expectations.”Kroepfl said the company has worked to “update” the brand to be “appropriate and respectful” but it realized the changes were insufficient.
[Featured image via YouTube]
CLICK HERE FOR FULL VERSION OF THIS STORY