Who's Hungry?

“Are you hungry? Would you like something subtly racist?”

I never had a parent, or a waitress, for that matter, ask me that (Should I have said server? Apologies for the subtle, uh, sexism.). But looking back on how foods were marketed to us as kids, the “mascots” of some of those products, and how no one seemed to have a problem with those is worth a discussion.

Aunt Jemima. Uncle Ben. Cream of Wheat. Eskimo Pies. The Frito Bandito. Land O’ Lakes. Chiquita Banana. I could add more, but I’m hungry enough as it is. I just have one question:

What the actual hell?

That’s actually a pretty broad list, and while you couldn’t make an entire meal out of pancake syrup, rice, an oatmeal knockoff, ice cream, chips, butter and bananas (maybe you could-I can think of a few times where a single meal consisted of two or three of those), the message is pretty clear: these products will fill your stomach, or your bowl, and provide you with a few random nutrients that taste pretty good. If you don’t believe me, the images associated with these products have friendly, benign, warm, sincere faces on them-just pay no attention to the implications of those faces.

An African-American woman with a headscarf with plantation nostalgia, and Black men in a bowtie looking curiously like a butler along with a smiling chef slinging Cream of Wheat named “Rastus” (not to be confused with “Uncle Remus” I guess). A cherubic Inuit child representing a frozen treat. A Mexican bandit (!) who will steal your corn chips (!!). A Native American churning butter, and a Carmen Miranda-inspired knockoff with a literal headdress made of, uh, fruit. (Full disclosure: once, as sarcastic young corporate communications professional at a supermarket grand opening, I was standing around trying to look busy and casually asked an actress in full Miss Chaquita Banana costume if there was a “Mr. Chaquita Banana” and she responded with a simple, “no, I’m single.” She didn’t get the joke-or maybe I was the one who didn’t get it.).

So yes, these products, this imagery, these mascots, all were symbols of a simpler time. Once they were examined, questioned, and challenged, they all were retired, or modified, or changed completely. The brands evolved, and so did our way of thinking. It just raises a single question:

Who thought these were a good idea in the first place?

Note: Chaquita Banana actually had bigger problems than a caricature-you can learn more about that here.