Darlie’s package includes a smiling man in a top hat
London:
Colgate-Palmolive said Thursday it is working to revise and evolve its brand of Chinese toothpaste, Darlie, the latest in a series of brand reassessments amid an American debate on racial inequality.
Darlie is a popular Chinese brand owned by Colgate and its joint venture partner, Hawley & Hazel. Its packaging includes a smiling man in a top hat. He was previously called Darkie and starred a man with a black face.
Its current Chinese name still translates as “toothpaste for black person”.
The move comes as Corporate America responds to weeks of protests over racial injustice and police brutality over the May death of George Floyd, a black man, in Minneapolis after a white police officer knelt on his neck.
“For over 35 years, we have been working together to evolve the brand, including substantial name, logo and packaging changes. We are currently working with our partner to review and evolve all aspects of the brand, including the brand, “a Colgate spokesperson told Reuters.
Colgate’s statement to Reuters followed on Wednesday the news that PepsiCo Inc. was abandoning its Aunt Jemima logo, prompting peers to initiate reviews of other food brands featuring African-American characters, including rice Uncle Ben, Mrs. Butterworth’s syrup and wheat cream.
According to Euromonitor International, Darlie controls 17% of the toothpaste market in China, 21% in Singapore, 28% in Malaysia and 45% in Taiwan.
Colgate paid $ 50 million in 1985 for 50% of Hawley & Hazel, the Hong Kong-based manufacturer of Darkie. He announced changes to the logo and the English name in 1989 following pressure from shareholders and other groups.
(Report by Martinne Geller; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Steve Orlofsky)
(With the exception of the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
