So long Uncle Ben...

It's the name for rice, I couldn't care less what it is called. What I do have an opinion on though is the true aim of Mars for doing this.

Call my cynical but this is virtue signalling to get publicity. Has anyone ever stopped to understand the origins of the Uncle Ben's brand name? Before reading the BBC article, I was not immediately aware of how the Uncle Ben's brand or logo could be considered derogatory to black people. Whilst the BBC article does explain it's more down to the term 'Uncle' and 'Aunt' being used as less formal ways to address black people vs 'Mr' & 'Miss' being used to address white people, I'm still scratching my head as to what this solves.

Is Mars expecting this to change the tide against racism? Or is it just cashing in on a topical subject? I wonder what Mars' diversity makeup is in regards to what % of their workforce, especially those at leadership/board level are BAME? If they're not leading the way with that then this re-brand is not where their focus should be.
 
StriderX said:
I'd perhaps agree if these threads were argued in good faith using reason/evidence/logic, such is seemingly impossible in any thread about identity politics.
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Let's be honest, in two or three hours time this thread will be full of the usual bickering back and forth with no outcome or benefit to anyone and then it'll get locked.

#gdlyfe
 
StriderX said:
The business has made a decision about a brand it owns, no one forced them to do it, but it's somehow the fault of some nebulous 'others'.

Why is it that there's never any threads in support of these things where one might actually come to an evidenced opinion on opposing it? It's literally always an outrage thread in here, always.

I'd take a moment to self-introspect, but that's more effort than being angry 24/7 (and importantly, much less dopamine excitation), at least be angry about something important... do we really need dozens of threads discussing American politics?
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Ok you pompous goit, where’s the outrage? I was just posting a thread on some news I saw, not going to the shed to pick up my pitchfork and storm the local town hall and rob a few JVC TVs from Asda on the way.
 
Acme said:
I don't see why they had to change the name anyway, surely just remove the blokes image from the packets... :p

It would be funny if they have completely missed the point and re-name the brand but leave the guys face on the packs... :D
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From the same link you posted!

Also, while we’re at it, the only reason he was referred to as “Uncle Ben” instead of say, “Mr Ben” or the far more apt, “Rice King” is because back then white people were torn between not wanting to call a black person “Mr” or heaven’s forbid, “Sir”, and not wanting to disrespect an elderly person. As a kind of ****** compromise most people settled on referring to elderly black people as either Uncle or Aunt. Thus, Ben, who was like Frank Brown was also a kindly older black gentleman who also made kick-ass rice, became known as Uncle Ben.
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Mekrel said:
It's the name for rice, I couldn't care less what it is called. What I do have an opinion on though is the true aim of Mars for doing this.

Call my cynical but this is virtue signalling to get publicity. Has anyone ever stopped to understand the origins of the Uncle Ben's brand name? Before reading the BBC article, I was not immediately aware of how the Uncle Ben's brand or logo could be considered derogatory to black people. Whilst the BBC article does explain it's more down to the term 'Uncle' and 'Aunt' being used as less formal ways to address black people vs 'Mr' & 'Miss' being used to address white people, I'm still scratching my head as to what this solves.

Is Mars expecting this to change the tide against racism? Or is it just cashing in on a topical subject? I wonder what Mars' diversity makeup is in regards to what % of their workforce, especially those at leadership/board level are BAME? If they're not leading the way with that then this re-brand is not where their focus should be.
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Mars doesn't give a **** about anyone's identity politics, no company that size is genuinely in the market to change people's opinions. It's almost certainly just a shameless advertising campaign.
 
antijoke said:
Ok you pompous goit, where’s the outrage? I was just posting a thread on some news I saw, not going to the shed to pick up my pitchfork and storm the local town hall and rob a few JVC TVs from Asda on the way.
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Fine, I guess it was mean-spirited and for that I apologise. I just find it strange that there isn't more local (UK) news being posted. Shouldn't moan though, I don't post anything of that sort either, not really standing on any pedestal to be criticising what other people find interesting enough to post.
 
StriderX said:
The business has made a decision about a brand it owns, no one forced them to do it, but it's somehow the fault of some nebulous 'others'.
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I guess when mars themselves say that 'we listened' and put in their statement the listened to thousands of consumers, shareholders etc there must have been some degree of nebulous 'others' as you put it :rolleyes:
 
Semple said:
Ooooh yeah. Especially their firecracker rice.

Frankiy i just find uncle Bens rice overpriced.
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I haven't tried that but their basmati rice is unrivalled. Especially the stuff in the little blue bags.

To be fair, even microwave rice is quite good when in a pinch for time/cooking for just yourself
 
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