Uncle Ben gets a promotion
The rice company is reviving the beloved Uncle Ben “character.” And in 2007, Ben has moved out of the kitchen and into the boardroom. He is chairman and he is providing “grains of wisdom” to all of you rice eaters.
Madison Ave. decided Ben (who still has no last name) was an under-utilized branding opportunity. And wanted to revive the image of Uncle Ben in his new position as chairman.
And herein lies the question: Is it possible to erase the history of racism and discrimination by giving a brother a new suit and a job? What if his name is still Uncle Ben?
