15 Product Mascots That Would Be Canceled Today
Here's a look back at 15 product mascots that reflected outdated stereotypes or controversial imagery that wouldn’t be tolerated in today's more socially aware era.
- Alyana Aguja
- 4 min read
Many product mascots from past decades would face intense scrutiny if introduced today due to their reliance on racial, ethnic, or gender-based stereotypes. While some were retired following public outcry, others quietly disappeared as cultural norms evolved. This list highlights the changing expectations in advertising and how brands are held accountable for the images they promote.
1. Aunt Jemima (Quaker Oats)
Image from Wikipedia
Originally based on minstrel show stereotypes, Aunt Jemima embodied a racist caricature of a Black woman as a cheerful servant. Her image was deeply rooted in slavery-era tropes. Quaker Oats officially retired the character in 2020 following nationwide protests against racial injustice.
2. Uncle Ben (Converted Rice)
Image from Wikipedia
Uncle Ben was another mascot built on racial imagery, depicting a Black man in a bow tie that evoked the image of a domestic servant. The character was loosely inspired by real rice growers but presented in a subservient manner. Mars Inc. rebranded the product to Ben’s Original in 2020.
3. The Frito Bandito (Fritos)
Image from Wikipedia
This animated Mexican bandit, voiced by Mel Blanc, leaned into offensive stereotypes with his thick accent, droopy mustache, and sombrero. He promoted Fritos corn chips through cartoonish criminal antics. Outcry from Mexican-American groups in the 1970s led to his eventual removal.
4. Cream of Wheat’s Rastus
Image from Wikipedia
For years, Cream of Wheat used an image of a smiling Black chef named Rastus, a name long associated with racist minstrel characters. The packaging reinforced the idea of cheerful Black servitude. B&G Foods removed the character in 2020 due to its racist origins.
5. Spokescandies (M&M’s)
Image from Wikipedia
The colorful M&M’s mascots were accused of being oversexualized or overly politically correct, depending on the iteration. The green M&M especially drew attention when her boots were swapped for sneakers in an attempt to tone down her “sex appeal.” Some conservatives decried this as “woke,” and Mars briefly pulled the mascots in 2023 before bringing them back.
6. Chef Pietro (Pasta Roni)
Image from Wikipedia
Chef Pietro was an Italian chef caricature who spoke with an exaggerated accent and hand gestures. He leaned heavily into ethnic stereotypes of Italians being loud and overly expressive. Though meant to be playful, it wouldn’t pass sensitivity filters today.
7. Chief Wahoo (Cleveland Indians Baseball / Merchandise)
Image from Wikipedia
Though not tied to a consumer product, Chief Wahoo was a long-standing mascot used in merchandising for the Cleveland Indians. The grinning, red-faced caricature of a Native American sparked decades of protests. The team eventually retired the mascot and changed its name to the Cleveland Guardians in 2021.
8. Joe Camel (Camel Cigarettes)
Image from Wikipedia
Joe Camel was a smooth-talking, sunglasses-wearing cartoon camel designed to make smoking cool. The problem? His cartoonish appearance appealed to children and teens, leading to accusations of targeting underage smokers. Camel dropped the mascot in 1997 due to public and legal pressure.
9. Gollywog (Robertson’s Jam)
Image from Wikipedia
Used in the UK until the early 2000s, the Gollywog character was a minstrel-like doll with jet-black skin, red lips, and frizzy hair. It appeared on product labels, collectibles, and advertising for decades. Public outcry and growing awareness of racial sensitivity led to its eventual removal.
10. Miss Chiquita (Chiquita Bananas)
Image from Wikipedia
Originally portrayed as a sultry banana-woman hybrid, Miss Chiquita played on exoticism and Latin American stereotypes. Her early appearances emphasized a hyper-feminized and sexualized Latina image. Over the years, she was redesigned, but the original concept wouldn’t be welcomed today.
11. Mr. Popo (Dragon Ball Z Merchandise)
Image from Wikipedia
Though primarily a TV character, Mr. Popo appeared in a range of licensed products, including toys and snacks. His pitch-black skin, large red lips, and servile demeanor resembled racist caricatures. Western audiences criticized the depiction, and some versions were edited to lighten his skin.
12. Sambo’s Restaurant Mascot
Image from Wikipedia
The now-defunct restaurant chain leaned heavily into the story of “Little Black Sambo,” a children’s book with racist overtones. The branding featured caricatures of Indian and African imagery with colonial and offensive tropes. Public backlash led to most locations closing or rebranding by the 1980s.
13. Tobacco Indian (Cigar Store Figures)
Image from Wikipedia
Often called “Cigar Store Indians,” these wooden figures were once used to advertise tobacco products outside stores. They reduced Native American identity to feathered headdresses and stereotypical garb. Today, they are widely considered racist relics of colonial marketing.
14. The Land O’Lakes Maiden (Land O’Lakes Butter)
Image from Wikipedia
The “Butter Maiden” was a Native American woman shown kneeling and holding a package of butter, blending cultural appropriation with marketing. Critics said it commodified and objectified Indigenous women. The image was quietly removed from packaging in 2020.
15. Speedy (Alka-Seltzer)
Image from Wikipedia
Speedy was a tiny cartoon boy with an Alka-Seltzer tablet for a head and another as a hat, enthusiastically promoting the product. While not offensive in a racial or gendered way, some now find the anthropomorphized child-pitchman pushing medicine unsettling. He’s rarely seen today, except in nostalgic throwbacks.