Many companies have been accused of having racist brands for years. They include corporate names, product names, mascots, and logos.

We found 20+ top brands (including Nestle, Colgate and Quaker Oats) accused of carrying racist brands that are making a name or branding change (5 more are making other changes). Many of these changes came on the heels of the Black Lives Matter movement which put a huge spotlight on racial bias.

The types of accused racist brands include:

  • Product Name — examples: Aunt Jemima and Eskimo Pies are both brand names that will be changed
  • Mascots — example: Proctor and Gamble remove the “Senior Sleepy” mascot from Spic and Span cleaning products (the word “spic” and the brown-skinned mascot is racial stereotyping towards Latinx people)
  • Logos/Branding — example: Mrs. Butterworth’s is revamping its branding (the curvy bottle shape is a racial caricature stereotype for Black women)
  • Product Descriptions — Johnson & Johnson and L’Oreal are re-visiting wording and production of “Whitening” products (words like “fair”, “light” and “whitening” contain race bias)
  • Chants & Cheers — The Atlanta Braves are discussing the ethnic stereotyping of their popular tomahawk chop (the gesture is considered offensive to Native Americans)

Here are the 18 examples of changes being made by companies being accused of being racist brands:

Aunt Jemima

Aunt Jemima was one of the first brands to consider changing its name due to racial biases. The brand’s name and image change will happen in the near future. A press release from PRNewswire shows a statement from Quaker Foods North America about the change:

Aunt Jemima 2021 Update

Parent company PepsiCo is following its promise to remove racist brands from its product line. In June 2020 Aunt Jemima’s name will change to Pearl Milling Co. The racist food branding image will change too.

racist_products_aunt_jemima
 

Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves franchise has received pressure to change its name out of respect for Native Americans. For now, the Braves name will stand, but management is discussing the use of the tomahawk chop. Their response on racists mascots was that:

the team  “honors, supports, and values the Native American community. That will never change.” And they have “created an even stronger bond with various Native American tribes, both regionally and nationally, on matters related to the Braves and Native American culture.”

 

Big Boy Restaurants

Along with the announcement of a new chicken sandwich, Dolly becomes the new food mascot for Big Boy Restaurants. The original Big Boy mascot is stepping out of the spotlight and the director of training Frank Alessandrini said the company wanted:

“to show that we’re still moving forward. We recognize the times that we’re in, hopefully, turning the corner in this pandemic and come out of it, but we want to set ourselves up for the future as well.”

 

Cheer Cheese

An Australian food company made the list of products with racist names. The company has changed the name of one of its cheesy snacks after years of complaints about racist food branding.

“”Coon Cheese,” which has been sold in Australia for more than 80 years, will now be known as “Cheer Cheese,”” (source: CNN Business, January 2021)

racist food branding
 

Cleveland Indians

Why are Native American mascots racist? This has been a topic of public controversy for years. Many say this is a type of ethnic stereotyping that promotes prejudice and misunderstanding. Because of this, the Cleveland Indians will see a name (and mascot) change, but likely not until 2022. A recent statement on Twitter outlined the team’s stance on social justice and equality.

On December 14, 2020, the Cleveland team tweeted a new statement about changing their name.

There is not a specific date that the name will change. However, The New York Times reported on the change in mid-December:

“And on Monday, the team announced it would abandon the name “Indians,” which many feel is an outdated relic of subjugation. The team will choose a new name in an unspecified time frame. Until it does, it will still be called the Indians. But that is temporary.”

Team surveys fans about racist logos [2021 update]

The Cleveland Indians are still on the list of brands that are racist until they make changes announced last year. Team leaders are asking fans for input on the team’s new identity. WKYC reports that:

“The organization recently asked for fan input via the website MLB.com/CLETeamName, and select individuals who provide their identity, email address, and other details are being sent a survey about the topic. The survey does not include any potential nicknames and specifically discourages suggestions. Rather, it asks how people feel about the name change and what type of characteristics they would like to see in the new moniker.”

Racist logos and a name change are planned for the team after the 2021 season.

CBS Sports recently published a list of potential new names to replace the racist name:

  • Cleveland Spiders
  • Cleveland Naps
  • Cleveland Fellers
  • Cleveland Rockers
  • Cleveland Crows
  • Cleveland Blue Socks
  • Cleveland Cuyahogas
  • Cleveland Great Lakers
  • Cleveland Unions
  • Cleveland Blues
  • Cleveland Cinders
  • Cleveland Castles
  • Cleveland Hazards
  • Cleveland Burning River
  • Cleveland Buckeyes
  • The Cleveland Dolbys

Each of the proposed names has some historical significance to the team.

 

Colgate – Darlie

Global toothpaste brand Colgate plans to “review and evolve” its Chinese toothpaste brand Darlie.

The brand was originally named “Darkie” and featured a man in blackface. The name “Darlie” translates to “black person toothpaste” which makes it an obvious instance of racial stereotyping.
 

Cream of Wheat

The makers of Cream of Wheat, B&G Foods, are re-evaluating their logo after growing concerns about racial stereotypes. The company issued a statement saying:

“We understand there are concerns regarding the chef image, and we are committed to evaluating our packaging and will proactively take steps to ensure that we and our brands do not inadvertently contribute to systemic racism,”…”B&G Foods unequivocally stands against prejudice and injustice of any kind.”

 

Dixie Beer

New Orleans’ oldest brewery recently announced it will change its name to “shed any connotations of slavery”. Brewery owner Gayle Benson said:

“With inclusive input from all of our community stakeholders, we are preparing to change the name of our brewery and products that carry the Dixie brand and these conversations will determine what brand will best represent our culture and community,”

 

Dixie Chicks

Popular country music trio the Dixie Chicks will now be called “The Chicks” after a name change in response to protests that have put a spotlight on racial equality. Under their new name, the Chicks released a video on YouTube titled “March March”…it already has over 2,200,000 views.


 

Eskimo Slur?

Some organizations are getting rid of the word “eskimo” because it’s considered by some to be a slur? The Inuit Circumpolar Council, for example, prefers the term “Inuit”.  Linguists believe that “Eskimo” is derived from an Ojibwa word meaning “to net snowshoes.” Many people in Canada and Greenland have long preferred other names.

Organizations replacing the word “eskimo” include:

Eskimo Pie

Dryers Grand Ice Cream Ice cream’s brand Eskimo Pie is changing its name in response to race bias. Head of Marketing, Elizabeth Marquez said:

“We are committed to being a part of the solution on racial equality, and recognize the term is derogatory” …

“This move is part of a larger review to ensure our company and brands reflect our people values.”

Dreyers changed Eskimo Pie to “Edy’s Pie” (Joseph Edy was one of the company’s founders).

Ongig proud plug: Our Text Analyzer removes racially-biased words from job descriptions, and replaces them with more acceptable phrases. (e.g. “Eskimo” being replaced with “Inuit”)

Racist company names like “Eskimo Pie” have changed [2021 Update]

After many complaints of racist food branding, Eskimo Pie stopped production until they could agree on a new name. Late in 2020, People reported that:

“Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream announced last Friday that the popular chocolate-covered vanilla ice cream bar will now be called Edy’s Pie, a nod to one of the company’s founders, Joseph Edy.”

Racist logos no more…the new brand roll-out, without the Eskimo image, will start this year.

The Edmonton Eskimos

On July 21, 2020, the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League announced they will drop the Eskimo name. They didn’t announce the new name.
 

Geechie Boy Mill

A family-owned company in South Carolina known for its white grits is considering a name change and reviewing its overall branding “given the current climate”. According to Fox Seattle:

“Geechie is a dialect spoken mainly by the descendants of African-American slaves who settled on the Ogeechee river in Georgia”

 

Land O’Lakes

After almost 100 years, Land O’Lakes decided to remove the image of a Native American woman from their dairy product packaging. President and CEO Beth Ford said in a statement about the change:

“As Land O’Lakes looks toward our 100th anniversary, we’ve recognized we need packaging that reflects the foundation and heart of our company culture—and nothing does that better than our farmer-owners whose milk is used to produce Land O’Lakes’ dairy products.”

 

Mrs. Butterworths

Conagra Brands recently made a statement about the review of its branding and packaging for its pancake syrups and mixes, although they said the current image was meant to depict a living grandmother, some have accused Butterworth as being a racist brand.

Conagra said:

“We stand in solidarity with our Black and Brown communities and we can see that our packaging may be interpreted in a way that is wholly inconsistent with our values”

 

Mutual of Omaha

On July 17, 2020, Mutual Omaha is removing the Native American image from its logo:

“We believe the decision to retire our corporate symbol is the right thing to do and is consistent with our values and our desire to help overcome racial bias and stereotypes,” said Mutual of Omaha Chairman and CEO James Blackledge

“Mutual of Omaha has a longstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion, both within our company and in our community. As an organization and a leadership team, we are focused on taking additional actions to answer the call for racial equity and inclusion,” said Blackledge. “We have spent time listening to diverse perspectives among our associates, community leaders and diversity and inclusion experts, and are taking further action to advance racial equity and social justice to create meaningful change.”

 

Nestle Candies

Nestle is re-branding some of its candies sold oversees to eliminate racial stereotyping. The alleged “racist brands” whose names are changing:

  • Red Skins — is offensive to First Nations people in North America
  • Chicos — used in the US as a slur against people of Latin-American descent
  • Beso de Negra — in Spanish, this means “kiss from a Black woman”

 

Sambo’s

The sole remaining location of Sambo’s in Santa Barbara, California is changing its name. The restaurant chain once had more than 1,100 locations across the United States and its food mascot, a dark South Indian boy, was based on a controversial children’s book “The Story of Little Black Sambo”. After years of lawsuits and complaints related to racial bias and racist company names, the owners announced they would make a change. The new name is still to be determined. A statement from the owners said:

“So, today we stand in solidarity with those seeking change and doing our part as best we can … Also, please know we do not tolerate racism or violence. We are committed to being part of a long-term solution. And we ask our customers and neighbors to join us in that pledge.”

 

Spic and Span

Spic and Span cleaning products will have a new name and logo after the company acknowledged the “brand’s origins rooted in racial hatred of Latino peoples”. Parent company Proctor and Gamble sais it has removed the “Senior Sleepy” logo from all future packaging which has been considered one of many racist mascots under review due to the recent racial inequality movement. A PR representative from Proctor and Gamble said:

“We recognize Spic and Span’s origins are based on a hurtful racial slur. Additionally, we recognize that now is the right time to reevaluate our past and future. We must evolve the Spic and Span brand, including its visual brand identity, which we will do.”

 

Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows

After consulting with Native Americans, including the Washoe Tribe, Squaw Valley ski resort in California announced it will change its name. In a statement from the resort the President and COO, Ron Cohen said:

“While we love our local history and the memories we all associate with this place as it has been named for so long, we are confronted with the overwhelming evidence that the term ‘squaw’ is offensive…We have to accept that, as much as we cherish the memories we associate with our resort name, that love does not justify continuing to use a term that is widely accepted to be a racist and sexist slur.”

The word “squaw” is widely considered as a racial and sexist slur towards indigenous women.

September 2021 Update! Squaw Valley’s new name is Palisades Tahoe. Here’s a video announcing the change from the San Francisco Chronicle:

We think other park, monuments, businesses and streets with the word “squaw” in them will soon change to avoid racial bias.

natural features, monuments, businesses, streets and parks will follow suit

 

Thug Kitchen

Like other companies labeled as “racist brands”, popular vegan recipe website Thug Kitchen has decided to change its name and branding. Before decided recently to change the name, the owners defended the websites name saying:

“We understand that thug is a loaded word, but we wanted everybody to be a bad ass, to have that aggression. The climate around the word thug is different now than it was when we started the site.”


 

Uncle Ben’s

Uncle Ben’s announced it would be updating the visual identity of the brand  in s statement that said the company has:

“a responsibility to take a stand in helping to put an end to racial bias and injustices.”

The time frame for the updates to the company brand has not yet been released.
 

Washington Redskins

The Washington Redskins franchise will undergo an evaluation of the team name according to USA Today after years of complaints about racist sports mascots and racial stereotyping. USA Today said:

“President Barack Obama asked the team to change the name more than once. In 2015, he said it was time for sports teams to “break stereotypes” and praised Adidas for working with schools to rebrand Native American mascots and logos.”

According to the article, sports teams at all levels are following suit and will see changes to their names and mascots, all in an effort to stand on the side of social justice and equality.

Adweek reported the team’s decision to evaluate their name came after a push from investors:

“three separate letters signed by 87 investment firms and shareholders worth a collective $620 billion asked Nike, FedEx and PepsiCo to terminate their business relationships with the NFL’s Washington Redskins unless the team agrees to change its controversial name.”

 

2022 Update!

In February 2022, Washington announced their new name as The Washington Commanders. (source: Business Insider).

Here’s their new name and logo from Twitter:


 

Other Changes Due to Racial Bias [and Gender Bias]

These companies may not have plans to change their name, but most of them are making changes based on bias. Although alterations are still up in the air for Chiquita Banana.

Chiquita

The banana-woman mascot for Chiquita Banana has received criticism for years based on ethnic stereotyping towards Latin Americans. The Food Empowerment Project said on their website:

“Whether portrayed as a banana-woman in the original logo, or a human woman in the modern logo, Chiquita Banana presents sexualized and exoticized visions of Latin American women, and perpetuates stereotypical images of Latin America and the people who live there”

Despite criticism for both racial bias and gender bias, Chiquita has not announced plans to change the food mascot at this time.
 

Disney’s Jungle Cruise Ride gets a makeover

Ahead of the July 2021 release of the newy Disney movie, Jungle Cruise, an old attraction at Disney’s parks was changed to bias against Indgenous people:

“In January 2021, Imagineering—the arm of Disney that creates and constructs its theme parks—announced that it would be updating the 66-year-old ride to address “negative depictions of natives.””

source: TIME Magazine, How Disney’s Controversial Jungle Cruise Ride Was Adapted for the Screen—and What It Means for Indigenous Representation

The same article quotes Cliff Matias, the Cultural Director of the Redhawk Native American Arts Council. Cliff speaks about bis views on movies like Tarzan:

“The narrative has always been flipped to show the European mindset of, it’s the savages who attack. Hollywood has always pretty much told that story through those eyes.”

 

Disney’s Splash Mountain

Disney’s Splash Mountain is getting a makeover after the recent momentum of the racial injustice movement. The ride’s theme is based on Disney’s 1946 film “Song of the South” which is said to have “stereotypical representations of Black people”. CNN reported:

“The log flume ride — which is based on the controversial 1946 film “Song of the South” — isn’t going anywhere. Instead, it will be rethemed to star the characters from the 2009 animated film, “The Princess and the Frog,” which features Disney’s first Black princess.”

Inc. Magazine also reported that Disney Plus is including a disclaimer about outdated cultural depictions for some of its older movies containing racial stereotypes. The disclaimer says:

the “program is presented as originally created. It may contain outdated cultural depictions.”

 

Disney Plus Pulls Classic Movies to Avoid Being on the list of Racist Brands

In January 2021, Disney Plus announced they are removing Peter Pan, Dumbo, and Aristocats from their children’s library and added an expanded content warning to the adult library. This is their latest effort to avoid racist products and negative stereotypes in their movie characters.

Here’s what Disney Plus said about each movie :

  • “Dumbo” (1941): “The crows and musical number pay homage to racist minstrel shows, where white performers with blackened faces and tattered clothing imitated and ridiculed enslaved Africans on Southern plantations. The leader of the group in Dumbo is Jim Crow, which shares the name of laws that enforced racial segregation in the Southern United States.”
  • “Peter Pan” (1953): “The film portrays Native people in a stereotypical manner that reflects neither the diversity of Native peoples nor their authentic cultural traditions. It shows them speaking in an unintelligible language and repeatedly refers to them as ‘redskins,’ an offensive term. Peter and the Lost Boys engage in dancing, wearing headdresses and other exaggerated tropes.”
  • “The Aristocats” (1970): “The (Siamese) cat (Shun Gon) is depicted as a racist caricature of East Asian peoples with exaggerated stereotypical traits such as slanted eyes and buck teeth. He sings in poorly accented English voiced by a white actor and plays the piano with chopsticks.”

 

Dr. Seuss

A call to end racists brands and racist products has been answered by Dr. Seuss. In March 2021, Dr. Seuss Enterprises announced they will no longer publish 6 books because of racist images. The book titles are:

  • “If I Ran the Zoo”
  • “And to Think I Saw It on Mulberry Street”
  • “McElligot’s Pool”
  • “On Beyond Zebra”
  • “Scrambled Eggs Super!”
  • “The Cat’s Quizzer”

A statement from Dr. Seuss Enterprises said:

“These books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong…Ceasing sales of these books is only part of our commitment and our broader plan to ensure Dr. Seuss Enterprises’ catalog represents and supports all communities and families”

H&M

On July 21, 2020, the managing director of & Other Stories (an H&M company) sent out a company memo related to a racial slur that was used as a name for one of the companies products. The statement included:

“This is completely unacceptable and there is no excuse to why this happened.”

H&M has suspended the employees involved to conduct an investigation, canceled the product, and apologized publicly according to CNN.
 

Jeep Cherokee

In March 2021, the new CEO of Stellantis (Jeep’s parent company) announced he is open to changing “Jeep Cherokee” and “Jeep Grand Cherokee” to avoid racist product names.

The company is in conversations with the Cherokee Tribe Leader and told the Wall Street Journal:

“At this stage, I don’t know if there is a real problem. But if there is one, well, of course we will solve it.”

 

Johnson & Johnson

Because of the Black Lives Matter movement, skin-whitening Clean & Clear Fairness products from Johnson & Johnson are being taken off the shelves in India and the Neutrogena Fine Fairness line will stop being sold in Asia and the Middle East according to recent reports. Johnson & Johnson said the announcement came after:

“Conversations over the past few weeks highlighted that some product names or claims on our dark spot reducer products represent fairness or white as better than your own unique skin tone”

 

L’Oréal

L’Oréal is removing racially-insensitive phrases like “fair”, “light”, and “whitening” from its skin products according to V Magazine. The decision was made in support of social justice and equality. L’Oréal posted this message on their Instagram:


 

Brands that Might Need to Change Due to Gender Bias [and Race Bias]

Last year, Ongig’s CEO Rob Kelly observed that many companies might also need to change their corporate brand name due to masculine bias in a blog last year, Will “Masculine” Companies Need to Change their Name?.

Mottos might need to get changed too.

The Department of Veterans Affairs motto has been accused of being”exclusionary” and “outdated.”

That motto quotes President Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural address in 1865:

“To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan.”

It is still to be determined if the companies/organizations above will change their words. If the momentum keeps building, we will see more and more organizations alleged to have biased brands or mascots or mottos changing those names.

We will be sure to list them here as they do!
 

Is the word “plantation” racist?

Outside of gender bias in brands, there are some brands that use the word “plantation” in their name. Many people find it racist or offensive because of the link to times of slavery.

The board of the Hilton Head Plantation in South Carolina doesn’t think it is offensive based on their recent statement:

“The Board realizes that many individuals are passionate about their feelings on both sides of this issue. Many comments were received from property owners; however, one property owner’s suggestion truly resonated with the Board. The property owner wrote in part, “We believe that the associated history is to be learned from  not to be deleted or rewritten….We also appreciate other peoples perceived sensitivities to the past unfairness or injustices.”

On the flip side, a basketball coach from Creighton recently apologized for telling his team:

“Guys, we got to stick together, We need both feet in. I need everybody to stay on the plantation. I can’t have anybody leave the plantation”

Coach Greg McDermott apologized immediately after realizing the inappropriate analogy with racist ties.

Sports teams that dumped their racist logos and racist brands

Throughout the history of sports, many teams have decided to move away from brands that are racist. Here’s a list:

  • Golden State Warriors — dropped the Native American logo for the Golden Gate Bridge in 1969
  • Dickinson State University — dropped the Savages mascot for a Blue Hawk in 1972
  • Dartmouth College — dropped its Indian mascot and go by “The Big Green” since the 1920s
  • Eastern Washington University — dropped the Savages mascot for an Eagles mascot in 1973
  • Eastern Michigan — changed its name from the Hurons to the Eagles in 1991
  • St. John’s University — changes it team name from Redmen to the Red Storm and replaced the Native American logo with a horse
  • Arkansas State University — dropped its Indian mascot and changed to Red Wolves in 2008
  • The University of Illinois — dropped the Chief Illiniwek logo in 1926
  • Midwestern State University — moved aways from the Indians and became the Mustangs in 2006
  • Nebraska Wesleyan University — changed from its Plainsman mascot to the Prairie Wolves in 2000
  • Oklahoma City Unversity — changed its name from the Chiefs to the Stars in 1999

 

We’re passionate (here at Ongig) about diversity & inclusion and eliminating bias of all types (race, gender, age, and disability). Ongig’s Text Analyzer helps remove racial bias in job descriptions.
 

Shout-Outs

  1. Michael Bartiromo’s article on Major food brands that are changing names, logos to combat racial biases
  2. Michael Hollan’s article on Big Boy restaurants replace iconic mascot with obscure character named Dolly
  3. Terry Pluto’s article on A look inside the Cleveland Indians’ approach to their name change: It may not happen until 2022
  4. Jemima McEvoy’s article on Colgate’s ‘Black Person Toothpaste’—A Market Leader In China—Is Under Review Amid Race Debate
  5. Alexandra Sternlicht’s article on Dixie Beer, New Orleans’ Oldest Brewery, Changing Its Name
  6. Ben Sisario’s article on The Dixie Chicks Change Their Name, Dropping the ‘Dixie’
  7. Frank Pollatta’s article on Disney announces major change to Splash Mountain ride after outcry
  8. Don Resinger’s article on Why Disney Plus Has Added ‘Outdated Cultural Depictions’ Disclaimers to Some of Its Movies
  9. Q13 Fox Seattle’s article on These companies are changing their branding due to racial stereotypes
  10. Heather Lalley’s article on The Last Remaining Sambo’s Finally Erases Its Name
  11. Alex Chambers’ article on Amid Calls From Liberals, Spic And Span Cleaning Products To Change Name And Logo To Something More Ethnically Sensitive
  12. Chrissy Callahan’s article on Thug Kitchen chefs to change website after defending ‘racist’ name for years
  13. Kelly Tyko’s article on Are the Washington Redskins next? Team to evaluate name following Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben’s, Eskimo Pie, others
  14. WARC’s article on Black Lives Matter movement forces brands’ marketing review
  15. Michaela Zee’s article on L’Oreal to remove words like light and whitening from its skin products
  16. Mary Emily O’Hara’s article on Investors Ask Nike, FedEx and PepsiCo to End Relationships With the Washington Redskins
  17. Des Beiler’s blog on Amid national reckoning on social justice, Squaw Valley ski resort is changing its name
  18. Cleveland Makes Name Removal Official, Saying It Is ‘Moving Forward’ (by David Waldstein)
  19. Australian company renames racially offensive cheese brand (by Michelle Toh)
  20. Aunt Jemima No More; Pancake Brand Renamed Pearl Milling Company (by Jaclyn Diaz)
  21. Eskimo Pie Unveils New Branding After Pausing Production Due to Derogatory Name (by Eric Todisco)
  22. Cleveland Indians surveying fans about what they would like to see in team’s new name (by Tyler Carey)
  23. Cleveland Indians to change team name; here are some of the best options, including Spiders and Crows (by Dayn Perry)
  24. Cleveland Indians and 14 Other Sports Teams That Dumped Racist Names and Mascots (Photos) (by Wrap Staff and Brian Welk)
  25. 6 Dr. Seuss books won’t be published for racist images (by Mark Pratt)
  26. 6 Dr. Seuss Books Will No Longer Be Published Over Offensive Images (by Jenny Gross)
  27. Disney Plus pulls ‘Peter Pan,’ ‘Dumbo,’ ‘Aristocats’ from children’s profiles after warning of stereotypes, negative depictions (by Amy Kuperinsky)
  28. Jeep-Owner Stellantis Is Open to Dropping Cherokee Name, CEO Says (by Nick Kostov and Nora Naughton)
  29. Creighton coach Greg McDermott apologizes for racially insensitive remarks (by Paul Myerberg)
  30. The HHP board doesn’t think the word ‘plantation’ is offensive. Here’s why it is (by William Patterson)
  31. Squaw Valley’s new name is Palisades Tahoe. What does it mean for the region? (by Gregory Thomas)
  32. 15 racist brands, mascots, and logos that were considered just another part of American life (by Marguerite Ward and Melissa Wiley)

by in Diversity and Inclusion