While recurrent heroes never age, either in comics or in Hollywood movie franchises, advertising icons must follow the changes in the cultural context and the social groups they cater to. The key word here is respect. Respect for consumer sensitivities and for the changes that have taken place in the world over the last decades.
The hidden cringe factor of beloved Advertising icons
Most people outside of the United States have no idea of the racist undertones carried by Mars Inc.’s Rice iconic spokeman, Uncle Ben since his introduction in 1943. ”Uncle” and “Aunt” were historically the equivalents of “Boy”, or “Girl”, a way for white southerners to talk to elderly African-Americans while avoiding to give them a more respectful “Sir” or “Madam”.
The iconic majordome was a relic of Antebellum Southern nostalgia
The cringe factor of the stereotypical jovial bowtie-wearing Black majordome, a character reeking of southern antebellum nostalgia, has finally given way to a promotion. Uncle Ben is now the Chairman of the Board(1) of the company marketing the rice that bears his name. The revamped branding website ( http://unclebens.com ) shows his luxurious office and allows consumers to pour through his mail and his agenda, filled with references to the products in the range. Uncle Ben is now on par with real life African-American corporate high flyers like Ken Chenault (CEO of American Express) or Ann Fudge (formerly the CEO of Sara Lee).
When corporate makeovers follow new cultural standards
If corporate makeovers include the kind of thorough cultural and social assessment seen at work with Uncle Ben, the Singapore Girl, another advertising icon, is likely to experience some long overdue change. That is, if TBWA, which has won the bid to advertise Singapore Airlines in April 2007, will retain the character as part of the new Advertising mix for the overachieving South-East Asian company.
The iconic stewardess was running out of miles in the new Global Context
As an character created by Sir Ian Batey in 1972, clad from day one in a hip-hugging sarong kebaya designed by Pierre Balmain, the Singapore Girl could not endure another decade.
Over the last 30 years, the demographics of business travelers have changed tremendously, with an increasing number of female travelers that would not respond well to the Pinkerton Syndrome overtones carried by Asian stewardesses catering to every whim of their jetlagged Caucasian male customers. The Singapore Lady of the twenty-first century is educated, assertive and in control. She might be the supply-chain manager making sure that gourmet meals are fitted in the SIA planes taking off from the Changi hub. She could be the maintenance engineer flipping through the pages of the technical documentation of the upcoming Airbus 380. She could be … a pilot!(2) At the same time, the frequent flyers representing the jetlagged global business elite are now Asian, South American or African Ivy League educated executives that can be female as well as male.
What could have been a neat idea…
Back to Uncle Ben’s rice. I was just wondering why the make over did not include a family name. What if the elderly gentleman was finally called “Benjamin Rice”, a successful rice-farmer-turned-self-made-man who markets Louisiana rice and other Southern delicacies? What if a few hints were made about his favorite niece, a highly successful and overbooked woman with “lots of responsibilities”? That could bring a smile on the lips of the consumers worldwide!
Guess what she will have for dinner…
That could explain the grin !
Copyright: Alfred LARGANGE – May 2007
(1) then again, African-american Blues icon B.B. King is called “The Chairman of the Board”. Stereotypes are definitely hard to shake.
(2) even if SIA, as of April 2007, still does not have female pilots
Posted by Alfred 
