Companies and brands across the United States are increasingly wary of the ‘cancel culture‘ mob and falling victim to trial by Twitter jury.
Although some have held firm and refused to bow to the cries from the Left, including Whole Foods, a company many would assume to be a bastion of the liberal coastal elite, many others have either been forced to tweak products or abandon them altogether and change names amid outcry. Some have simply decided to jump before they were pushed.
Over the past year, these brands have made changes to their names, logos, or product lines to be more culturally sensitive.
EBAY REMOVING ALL LISTINGS OF SIX CANCELED DR. SEUSS BOOKS
Dr. Seuss
Six Dr. Seuss titles will no longer be published. On Tuesday, Dr. Seuss Enterprises, the company that manages the publishing of the works of Theodor Seuss “Ted” Geisel, said it would be pulling titles over images they contain that are seen as racially insensitive. On Thursday, eBay told the Washington Examiner that it would remove any listings of those six books from its virtual shelves.
Mr. Potato Head
The brand name Mr. Potato Head will be changing to Potato Head in order to be more inclusive, Hasbro announced on Feb. 25. The toy company assured its customers that the iconic characters Mr. Potato Head and Mrs. Potato Head wouldn’t be going anywhere.
Hold that Tot – your main spud, MR. POTATO HEAD isn’t going anywhere! While it was announced today that the POTATO HEAD brand name & logo are dropping the ‘MR.’ I yam proud to confirm that MR. & MRS. POTATO HEAD aren’t going anywhere and will remain MR. & MRS. POTATO HEAD pic.twitter.com/6I84KrxOLQ
— Hasbro (@Hasbro) February 25, 2021
Aunt Jemima
Aunt Jemima maple syrup will now go by the name Pearl Milling Company, and the breakfast staple’s iconic imagery will be no more. After promising months earlier to change the name of the product, PepsiCo announced the syrup’s new branding in February. The company said the packaging did not “reflect our core value.”
Quaker Oats says its Aunt Jemima pancake mix and syrup will be renamed Pearl Milling Company. Quaker Oats earlier announced that it would retire the Aunt Jemima brand, saying the character’s origins are “based on a racial stereotype.” https://t.co/AhKSXWausk
— The Associated Press (@AP) February 10, 2021
GOYA, WHOLE FOODS, AND FORBES: COMPANIES THAT REFUSE TO BOW TO CANCEL CULTURE
Disney
In the past year, Disney has announced that two of its attractions that have long been the subject of racial controversy would be getting a change-up. Splash Mountain, which was criticized for its connection to the movie Song of the South, will soon be themed after the animated film The Princess and the Frog, the company announced in June. Disney said in January that the Jungle Cruise, which many have complained contains offensive depictions of native people, will also be adjusted.
We’re thrilled to share Splash Mountain at @Disneyland & @WaltDisneyWorld will be completely reimagined with a new story inspired by an all-time favorite @DisneyAnimation film, “The Princess and the Frog.” Learn about what Imagineers have in development: https://t.co/HyKfdDSH3j pic.twitter.com/DV6476KAVX
— Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) June 25, 2020
The Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians have decided to get a new mascot. The Ohio baseball team announced in December that it would begin working on a new name, saying it was “time to move forward.”
Statement from the organization.https://t.co/IHa68yEQGA pic.twitter.com/gGS6xutSOy
— Cleveland Indians (@Indians) December 14, 2020
Cream of Wheat
Though the iconic instant hot cereal still goes by its name Cream of Wheat, B&G Foods in September decided to change the product’s packaging, removing the image of a black man that the company told Forbes “reminds some consumers of earlier depictions they find offensive.”
B&G Foods is “initiating an immediate review of the Cream of Wheat brand packaging.”
The chef on the box is called “Rastus” a pejorative term for black men.https://t.co/TrL5N35DYX
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) June 18, 2020
Uncle Ben’s
In June, Mars announced that it would be changing the name of Uncle Ben’s rice to Ben’s Original. The company also decided to remove the image of an elderly black man that had long graced its boxes. The company said, “We understand the inequities that were associated with the name and face of the Uncle Ben’s brand.” Mars said in a statement to the Washington Examiner on Tuesday that it had received ” mostly positive feedback,” both from customers and the company’s employees, about its “plans to evolve our Ben’s brand.”
The Uncle Ben’s rice brand is changing its name to Ben’s Original. Parent Mars Inc. is the latest company to drop a logo criticized as a racial stereotype.https://t.co/CFMZS6yo8E
— The Associated Press (@AP) September 23, 2020
The Washington Redskins
After the team’s owner, Dan Snyder, repeatedly insisted that he would never change the Washington Redskin’s name, the team announced in July that it would be doing just that. Since then, the team has been called the Washington Football Team, as it has yet to announce a new mascot.
The Washington Redskins snap up a new, unproblematic name:
The Washington Football Team.https://t.co/LFchtCvgW1
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) July 23, 2020
Mutual of Omaha
Insurance company Mutual of Omaha announced in July that it would be removing the logo that depicted a Native American chief wearing a headdress from its branding. The company said it had a “desire to help overcome racial bias and stereotypes.” The logo has since been changed to a lion.
Our new logo reflects our mission and values, and our commitment to helping people protect what’s important to them.
Read our logo story here: https://t.co/nEiYcDTDDX. #news #mutualofomaha pic.twitter.com/xyDJNnwtVi
— Mutual of Omaha (@mutualofomaha) November 12, 2020
Eskimo Pies
In June, Dreyer’s announced that it would be changing the name of the ice cream treat Eskimo Pie to Edy’s Pie because it felt the term Eskimo was “derogatory.” The company said in a statement to the Washington Examiner on Thursday that response from customers to the change was “positive.” It added, “Sales for Edy’s Pie have outpaced the category since our announcement and has continued through launching our new packaging.”
The chocolate-covered ice cream bars known as ‘Eskimo Pies’ have a new name. https://t.co/yudCEwRjb9
— ABC13 Houston (@abc13houston) October 12, 2020
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The Washington Examiner reached out to Penguin Random House, which publishes the Dr. Seuss books, Hasbro, which makes Potato Head toys, PepsiCo, which makes Aunt Jemima syrup, the Washington Football Team, B&G Foods, which produces Cream of Wheat, Mutual of Omaha, and Disney for comment on how customers have reacted to the changes but did not receive responses.
