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April 24, 2009

Eskimo Pie: Derogatory Brand Naming?

A Canadian Inuit tourist in New Zealand has been in the news recently for her outrage over finding "Eskimo Pies" for sale. The term is considered by the Inuit people to be derogatory and her indignation has caught the attention of the blogosphere.

Many people don't view "Eskimo" as being a derogatory brand, especially when you consider the name's heritage. Its presence in New Zealand reaches back to 1955, and in the USA, its country of origin, it goes back to to 1922, although Eskimo Pies are no longer are available here.

The New Zealand diplomat to Canada has lamented the controversy as well as the "rednecky" comments made by Kiwis on local radio stations.

However, one thing is clear, there will no name change. Cadbury/Pascall and Tip Top, who market the product, says ""Pascall Eskimos are an iconic New Zealand lolly and have been enjoyed by millions of New Zealanders since they first hit shop shelves way back in 1955" adding that they sold "19 million individual Eskimos" last year, making it a top seller there.

The tourist, Seeka Lee Veevee Parsons (21), plans on sending an Eskimo Pie to the Canadian Prime Minister, which I am sure will keep this story in the news a while longer.

I personally support her stance in principle and understand that the word Eskimo is offensive to some cultures, keeping in mind that I have written about my excitement for the return of classic brand names like Indian Motorcycles, realizing that the word is fraught with negative connotations.

Along those same lines, I also believe that the brand name "Eskimo Pie" probably should not be abolished as far as the ice cream treats are concerned. There is simply too much equity tied up in it and the word Eskimo is not generally construed as demeaning.

The word "igloo" for instance is used for ice chests. The word Indian, as displayed by Indian Motorcycles, is commonly in usage where it doesn't imply anything demeaning.

All that said, if you're products are going to target the global market, I would definitely not recommend creating a new brand name that includes a term with the potential for being derogatory to any possible consumer.

Technorati Tags: Eskimo, Eskimo Pie, Indian Motorcycles, Ice Cream Naming, Derogatory Brand Naming

Posted by William Lozito at April 24, 2009 8:35 AM
Posted to Brand Naming | Branding | Food | Industry | Naming | Product Naming

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