Social Reform Brings Change To Brands

September 29, 2020 | By Belen Hernandez

After the death of George Floyd at the hands of police, there was an uprising of protests around the world. For many, it hit home, activating protests demanding justice. Communities came together to take a stand against social injustices often faced in their communities. 

In light of this tragedy, this affected many companies across the globe, regardless of what kind ofproducts they sold. Some companies made statements in solidarity with the BLM movement in response to the protest. Ben and Jerry’s were spotted in one of the protests and spoke up against social injustices. One brand that gained controversy was the famous syrup formerly known as Aunt Jemima. In a 2015 article by The New York Times, Cornell University professor Riché Richardson said; “the Aunt Jemima logo is based on a ‘mammy,’ a devoted and submissive servant who eagerly nurtured the children of her white master and mistress while neglecting her own.” Quaker Oats, owners of the Aunt Jemima product said they would be changing the logo towards the end of the year with a name change to follow. Similar to Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben decided that they would change their logo because of the stereotype behind the name Uncle. 

Not only has food been affected by new marketing, but sports teams have also been under fire for their stereotypical mascots. The NFL football team, the Washington Redskins, was particularly affected by this because Walmart and Amazon decided to stop selling their merchandise. 

Music artists also decided to take a stance. The famous country group formerly known as Lady Antebellum decided to change their name to “Lady A” because their name was associated with war during the time of slavery. Brands changing their names or icons means they’re shedding stereotypes and racist roots as a way to represent their values as a company or brand that’s seeking to promote positive change, starting with themselves. This helps them in marketing their brand because people will be more interested in supporting them.

My name is Belen Hernandez  and I am a Senior at CSUN studying public relations. I love reading and watching crime shows. On my free time I like to hang out with friends and family.