RIP Mia – Land O Lakes icon.

I knew it was going to happen.
Actually, it took a lot longer than I thought.

After the Washington Redskin icon protest from a couple of years ago, I thought there would be some sort of revolution to rid society of culturally (and maybe gender based) advertisement icons.

Mrs. Buttersworth and Uncle Ben would be things of by-gone icons, much like Ronald McDonald, Mr. Yuck, and the Taco Bell Dog.  They were popular at the time but vanished somewhere along the way for cultural and psychological ‘reasons.’

After the Redskins, which is still in existence,  there would be a voluntarily cultural backlash.  Mrs. Buttersworth and Uncle Ben are clearly modeled after an unfortunate time in American history.   “Uncle” was a term that generally referred to older slaves or house servants.  “Mrs” could be seen in the same vein.

I guess the titles were a polite way to address house servants in front of company and children.

The swooping reform should have included

Count Chocula, who has a Jewish history.
Lucky from Lucky Charms as he stereotypes the Irish.
Trix the Rabbit…  animal abuse  (those children in the commercials are pretty mean to him sometimes).
Mr. Kool-Aid — obesity.
Most women in make-up advertisements.    Since sex doesn’t define self, men should be an equal advertising audience for companies like Sephora and Maybelline.
Mr. Clean and Brawny – physical men stereotypes.

We lost the Where’s the Beef Lady and I’ve Fallen and Can’t Get Up Lady for the same type of reasons.   Funny.   They got the message across, but it isn’t appropriate to poke fun at the elderly.

The only icon that I can think that would be partially safe would be Snuggles the Bear.  Maybe Scrubbing Bubbles.

There’s probably something wrong with Captian Crunch and the Starbuck goddess rip-off.

If we go a little deeper along this line of thought, women where the primary shoppers for household goods.   Cleaning product advertisements were designed with women in mind – hence Mr. Clean.  Advertisement for children had to attract children, of course, but also pass the mother-parent test of being bright and friendly.

Advertisements that are specific for men are few compared to everything else.  We don’t see half-naked women or power tools on Coleman camping equipment.

Only on the more extreme ends do we see advertisements that cater to men.   Mudding trucks.  Patriotism in cigarettes and alcoholic drinks.  Sex-appeal in certain cars.  It might be more subtle than Brawney, but it’s there.

Anyway..  RIP Mia Land O Lakes.
You’ll join Ms. Kenmore and the Craftsman in the halls of forgotten history.