*Say good riddance to the name Uncle Ben’s.
Parent firm Mars Inc. revealed Wednesday that it will ditch its 70-year-old brand name rooted in racist imagery and relaunch in 2021 under the new name “Ben’s Original.”
Global President for Mars Food Fiona Dawson says the company is still deciding on an image to accompany the new name. Since the 1940s, the rice boxes have featured a white-haired Black man, sometimes with a bowtie. Critics have said the image evoke servitude.
Mars is the latest company to change names or logos amid new pressure from the Black Lives Matter protests over police killings of unarmed African Americans. Aunt Jemima, Land-O-Lakes and Eskimo Pie are among other brands that are retiring racist logos.
Below, reports about Mars’ announcement in June that it would follow the lead of the above mentioned brands and change its Uncle Ben’s name.
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