Kellogg's Pledges New Design for Corn Pops Box with Lone Brown Janitor
The Kellogg Company promised to update the box of one of its cereals following accusations that its illustration is racist.
USA Today reported yesterday (October 25) that the Michigan-based food manufacturer apologized for a Corn Pops box with a cartoon depicting anthropomorphic Corn Pops in a shopping mall. The Corn Pops all look nearly identical—yellow shading and few or no clothes—except for one noticeably daker one, dressed in a blue uniform and pushing a power washer.
Author Saladin Ahmed tweeted the illustration and a close up of the brown corn pop:
hey @KelloggsUS why is literally the only brown corn pop on the whole cereal box the janitor? this is teaching kids racism. pic.twitter.com/Nh7M7IFawW
— Saladin Ahmed (@saladinahmed) October 24, 2017
yes its a tiny thing, but when you see your kid staring at this over breakfast and realize millions of other kids are doing the same…
— Saladin Ahmed (@saladinahmed) October 24, 2017
Kellogg's apologized via its corporate Twitter account:
Kellogg is committed to diversity & inclusion. We did not intend to offend – we apologize. The artwork is updated & will be in stores soon.
— Kellogg's (@KelloggsUS) October 24, 2017
Company spokesperson Kris Charles reiterated the apology in a statement to USA Today: "We take feedback very seriously, and it was never our intention to offend anyone. We apologize sincerely." Charles said that the cereal giant has already redesigned the box.