Mars drops Uncle Ben’s, reveals new name for rice brand

Dissociated Press ^ | September 23, 2020 | Alexandra Olson

[Olog-hai]

The Uncle Ben’s rice brand is getting a new name: Ben’s Original.

Parent firm Mars Inc. unveiled the change Wednesday for the 70-year-old brand, the latest company to drop a logo criticized as a racial stereotype. Packaging with the new name will hit stores next year.

“We listened to our associates and our customers and the time is right to make meaningful changes across society,” said Fiona Dawson, global president for Mars Food, multisales and global customers. “When you are making these changes, you are not going to please everyone. But it’s about doing the right thing, not the easy thing.”

Several companies have retired racial imagery from their branding in recent months, a ripple effect from the Black Lives Matters (sic) protests over the police killing of George Floyd and other African Americans. …

[libertylover]

The Uncle Ben’s rice brand is getting a new name: Ben’s Original.

Uncle Ben's rice and Aunt Jemima. Who knew being a good cook was racist?

[IronJack]

it’s about doing the right thing

No, it's about corporate cowardice and groveling before the PC mob. Don't try to pretend there's anything noble about this acquiescence. It's Neville Chamberlain trying to claim his appeasement averted world war.

[GreenLanternCorps]

I'm partial to the Original pre-One More Day version and to his successors:

May "Mayday" Parker (Earth 982):

Anna May "Annie" Parker (Earth 18119):

[Theodore R.]

I will use Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben’s until the original logos expire. Then, no more purchases of either item; maybe the company will bankrupt itself.

[nwrep]

Fiona Dawson:

[ClearCase_guy]

“Enable the Conversation”?

Does that mean sit down and shut up while the screaming harridan lectures me?

[nwrep]

You got it.

[Phillyred]

“When you are making these changes, you are not going to please everyone. But it’s about doing the right thing, not the easy thing.”

Was Uncle Ben a racist? What the helllll does this mean????

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

This post brought to mind the movies WILLARD(1971) and later BEN. You beat me to it.

[American in Israel]

Perhaps they should focus on making a more palatable product than twisting their panties to get on the virtue signaling parade. Their rice socks, always has and now obviously will for the foreseeable future.

[freedumb2003]

I have to admit the post referred to was a “Ben” poster which of course reminded me of Willard.

But I am sure the comparison will be apt and a LOT of people (starting with me) will stop purchasing it just b/c the woke quotient.

And I direct the “boycotts don’t work” crowd to the death spirals the nfl and nba are in, when viewership should be UP since COVID keeps everyone at home and people should have been missing it.

So, martians making Ben the Rat Rice: get woke, go broke.

[alexander_busek]

I was a bit surprised to be called “uncle” by a young Sikh man at work. His manner indicated respect.

I would suppose that the appellation "uncle" (for elderly Blacks) was used in the pre-Civil Rights South chiefly to indicate affection or at least familiarity. However, I am sure that there were times when it was also used condescendingly and/or to deliberately offend. But then, in modern times, even the form of address of "sir" can - depending upon the context and with what inflection it is spoken - be offensive.

Thus, it's all about the intention and context.

I think removing the iconic black and native American is wrong-headed.

If such images (of minorities) in subservient roles or in exaggerated, stereotypical forms (viz. the "Frito Bandito") were predominant in advertising, I would at least be willing to consider revising them. But that doesn't seem to be at all the case!

In many instances - e.g., "Land o' Lakes" butter and similar brands, which evoke entirely positive associations - it seems wholly unnecessary and indeed harmful.

Regards,

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

“WILLARD AND BEN’S Dark nd Light Rice!” (Hint: Those dark pieces are not rice.)

[freedumb2003]

>>Hint: Those dark pieces are not rice<<

LOL

[xp38]

Jemima and Butterworth are gone already or at least said to be. Cream of Wheat guy is on the chopping block.

[the OlLine Rebel]

Yes that is why i brought them up.

Don’t know when they plan to actually swap out but they’re still showing their black faces. And old-lady grandma bottle.

[wardaddy]

How stupid

My go to rice

Might as well buy some Indonesian junk going round now

[yuleeyahoo]

Hmm, only actual racists would applaud the total erasure of fictional minority characters from the public eye. Good job lefties.

[Texas resident]

Mahatma rice. Riviana Foods.

[BDParrish]

Why is the Uncle Ben Image Racist?
(Wherein I ramble about things of interest to me and nobody else.)

The legend of the South is that slavery was fraternal, paternal, familial and beneficial. Uncle Ben was the chief house slave and is supposed to be associated with excellent food, and family love. Why Uncle Ben is the butler! He is what Mr. Carson is to Downton Abbey.

Similarly, the young lad in Joel Chandler Harris stories is far more connected to Uncle Remus than his own family. The lad's family does not play any role. Though not explained in the stories, as a white southerner, I am expected to assume that Uncle Remus was an old field hand, now too old to work, who's using his time with the boy to teach him something. If you can look past the racism, and the associated Romanticism of that world now "gone with the wind" (it never existed), which you CAN do after you look at the other things first, then you can see what Remus is actually teaching him about mankind, and how he is to get about in the world. Personification of animals in storytelling is now taken for granted, Mickey Mouse, Kermit the Frog, etc. but for Joel Chandler Harris it was a ground breaking idea. Harris claimed that he had heard just such stories from the slaves at Turnwold Plantation.

"Uncle Ben", "Aunt Jemima" and "Rastus" (Cream of Wheat) are idealized stereotypes which were used as marketing images in the world of the late 1890's and early 20th century. It is interesting why they "worked" then. It is also interesting why they continued to "work" until today. It is very interesting why all this is being changed and what will happen to the company. It is also interesting to me how the company is still called "Quaker Oats" as I have NO positive associations with the Quaker religion and have had only negative experiences with the liars and liberals who attend the meetings of our local "Society of Friends".

When I see the face of Aunt Lillian Richard on the box or on that bottle, which was always out on the table as we eat, I am only thinking about those delicious pancakes, along with bacon or Neeses Country Sausage, and let the syrup run all into the bacon...

Here's what her family has to say about it all.

________________________________
BTW, when reading the stories, say Bruhr Rabbit or Brr (short, quick) Rabbit not Brehr Rabbit like Bayer aspirin. Harris writes in "eye-dialect". You should hear it in your mind as an authentic period speech from about 1880. Everybody at a Baptist Church in Eatonton, GA is brother this or sister that and the word was slurred and glossed over quickly even elided into the next word.