The long association through much of the 20th century between candy and other comestibles and quaint depictions of black people is rich and cringey. Here, for example, we see the long lost cousin of the Clark Bar. Anything made with licorice or chocolate lent itself especially easily to this dimwitted and popular marketing strategy over the decades. Why this brand of caramels qualified for minstrel status is less clear. Over 69 years of progress? What does that mean? Caramel progress, minstrel progress, D.L. Clark Candy Company progress? In any case, if I had known of this brand I would have had Alice Ziplinsky mention it in her tirade about Negro imagery in candy and food advertising in the pages of True Confections.
Hummm....I don't know about the "69 years of progress." They may want to re-think that.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. It is also odd that they thought putting the doughy face of their founder on the box would help sell the product, as if it were life insurance.
ReplyDeleteKatharine,that would almost rival the original packaging for Abba Zaba!
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