Quaker Oats is set to debut a rebranding for the popular pancake mix and syrup popularly known for decades as Aunt Jemima. It featured what many have identified as a racist caricature of a black woman on all the Aunt Jemima products, most famously pancake mix and syrup bottles. These items will now be sold under the name Pearl Milling Company. The loved products will still be easily recognizable for shoppers as it features a similar font and the same iconic red labeling. This is a very welcomed change for the brand and an important step is ending racial stereotyping.
COURTESY // PEPSICO
A spokesperson from the Quaker Oats parent company Pepsico made the following remarks in addressing the rebrand. “We are starting a new day with Pearl Milling Company, a new day rooted in the brand’s historic beginnings and its mission to create moments that matter at the breakfast table.” The name Pearl Milling Company serves as a nod to the original factory the pancake mix originated in. The brand said they worked with many teams since June 2020, when the rebrand was officially announced, to effectively find a way to showcase these products in a new light.
In June 2020 when these comments were made by Kristin Kroepfl, the Vice President of Quaker Foods, “We recognize Aunt Jemima’s origins are based on a racial stereotype, 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.” The items displaying their new name are set to hit shelves this June. When we examine the racist origins of the logo and why it’s essential to be replaced, Michael Twitty a culinary historian said “The character of Aunt Jemima is an invitation to white people to indulge in a fantasy of enslaved people and by extension, all of Black America as submissive, self-effacing, loyal, pacified and pacifying. It positions Black people as boxed in, prepackaged and ready to satisfy; it’s the problem of all consumption, only laced with racial overtones”.
2020 brought many things to the surface, and with the influx of support for the Black Lives Matter movement what followed was an influx of brands and companies being forced to address the racism evident in their logos and history. While this can be claimed as a victory as we see more industries accepting their failures it must serve as a reminder of how long we allowed for these injustices to occur. It will be important to continue to push for equality and advocate for a platform for black Americans to use their voice. It will be the only way to wield real change and make any progress towards equality in our country.
While 2020 served as a launching pad for many of these issues as we move into the new year we must recognize the work is only just getting started. Brad Weekes, a strategic communications professional said, “Brands need to recognize that whatever their business is or whatever customer they traditionally serve, racial and social equality is relevant to them and there is an imperative to speak out against injustice, not just when it’s trending, but as an ongoing part of their identity”.
So while we can celebrate the victory of brands like Quaker Oats recognizing the offensive of using a racist caricature for their advertising for decades, let’s not give them more credit than what is due. Immense work from all American industries will be essential in healing our country from its racist past.
