Most people probably didn't even realize "Eskimo" was a derogatory term.
Move over Aunt Jemima, because Eskimo Pie ice cream treats are the most recent brand to changes their name and branding as the Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream company scrambles to rid themselves of any marketing that could be deemed even slightly offensive.
The company says their product is "Derogatory".
First Quaker Oats changed Aunt Jemima, then Mars Inc changed Uncle Ben and B&G Foods Inc. said Cream of Wheat is also considering removing the Black chef from the packaging.
Now Eskimo Pies are going away.
Paul Sacca reports:
Elizabell Marquez, head of marketing for parent company Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream, said, "We have been reviewing our Eskimo Pie business for some time and will be changing the brand name and marketing."
The Eskimo Pie will get a new name and will no longer feature the Alaska Native child on its packaging.
Eskimo is a "member of a group of indigenous peoples of southwestern and northern Alaska, arctic Canada, Greenland, and eastern Siberia," according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
However, the term "Eskimo" is considered derogatory by some because "it was given by non-Inuit people and was said to mean 'eater of raw meat,'" according to the Alaska Native Language Center at the University of Alaska.