“As we strive to make progress towards racial equality through several initiatives, we must also pay attention to our brand portfolio and ensure they reflect our values and meet the expectations of our consumers,” the Pepsi-owned company said in a statement provided to CNN Business.
Aunt Jemima’s appearance has evolved over time. The origin and brand logos are based on the song “Bibi Tua Jemima” from the performers of singer shows and are reportedly sung by slaves. The company’s website says the logo began in 1890 and is based on Nancy Green, “storyteller, cook, and missionary workers.” However, the website failed to mention Green
born as a slave.There have been repeated calls for companies to change the logo. In 2015
opinion pieces published in the New York Times, Cornell University professor Riché Richardson said the logo was “strongly associated with Southern racism.”
Richardson said that the Aunt Jemima’s logo was based on “‘mami,’ a faithful and obedient servant who eagerly takes care of the children of ladies and gentlemen while ignoring their possessions.” The stereotypical mammy slave statue was approved by the US Senate in 1923, but it was never made.
The company has also run racist advertisements for decades, with the actress personifying mammy stereotypes. It evolved the logo over the years, and even employed singer Gladys Knight as a spokesperson in the 1990s. Today, Aunt Jemima describes herself as a brand that represents “warmth, nutrition, and trust – qualities that you will find in loving mothers from diverse backgrounds who want the best for their family.”
In 2017, the husband of the late B. Smith asked the company to change it and said it was a symbol of “humiliating women.”
“While work has been done for years to renew the brand in a way that is meant to be appropriate and respectful, we realize that change is not enough,” Quaker Oats North America’s head of marketing Kristin Kroepfl said in a statement.
After calculating the national race after the death of George Floyd in police custody, the company made a change.
Pepsi (SPIRIT) has not revealed a new logo or brand name for breakfast items. It will debut in the fall. The Aunt Jemima brand was bought by Quaker Oats in 1926. PepsiCo bought Quaker Oats in 2001.
The Bibi Jemima brand will donate $ 5 million over the next five years “creating meaningful and ongoing support and involvement in the Black community.” Earlier this week, Pepsi announced a series of initiatives worth $ 400 million to support the black community.
