Pancakes and Stereotypes

The Aunt Jemima brand has been a part of American culture for over a century. This brand, created in the 1880’s used the image of a Black woman in a “mammy” role which was the stereotype of African American women to be for example a cheerful and loyal servant. This image was used as a marketing tool that targeted white consumers and subtly reinforced racial biases. This was done by placing a Black woman in a role of serving. Using semiotic analysis, it will show how Aunt Jemima’s image used visual and textual signs to encourage  racial stereotypes, connecting the ideas of theorists like Roland Barthes, Ferdinand de Saussure, Charles Sanders Peirce, and Stuart Hall. Today, the Aunt Jemima image serves as a historical reminder of past attitudes and as a case study in how modern consumers react to racially charged branding.

The “mammy” stereotype goes back to a time of slavery in the South, where Black women were often portrayed as loyal, nurturing figures that were devoted to taking care of white families. After the Civil War, this stereotype became even more popular as Americans romanticized the “Old South.” Aunt Jemima’s image first appeared at the 1893 World’s Fair, where Nancy Green, a former enslaved woman, played the character and served pancakes to visitors with warmth and cheer​ which was stated in a written article “Goodbye Aunt Jemima”by Maria Kalaitzandonakes.

In Saussure’s terms, Aunt Jemima is a “sign” that combines a “signifier” such as her image with the headscarf, big smile, and the clothes and a “signified” for example the idea of a happy, loyal servant. Together, these elements comforted white audiences, promoting an ideal vision of racial segregation that said Black women found fulfillment in servitude. The “mammy” stereotype suggested that Black women enjoyed serving white families, which reinforced racial hierarchies and dehumanized African American women using Coded Signs and Persuasive Techniques.
Aunt Jemima advertisements were packed with “coded signs” meant to communicate certain messages to consumers. The headscarf and smile weren’t just random choices, they were designed to give a comforting image of a Southern “mammy” such as a maternal figure who seemed content and happy to serve. Barthes explains that ads often convey both donotive (literal) and connotive (implied) meaning. In this case, Aunt Jemima is literally a woman associated with pancakes (denotation). Beyond that, her appearance and smile evoke a warm, nostalgic image of racial harmony built on servitude (connotation).  Peirce’s semiotic concepts also come into play here. Aunt Jemima serves as an icon (resembling the typical “mammy” idea), an index (this points to an idealized version of the Old South), and a symbol (representing learned associations between Black identity and servitude). By layering these meanings, Aunt Jemima became a powerful advertising symbol, pushing consumers to associate the product with comfort and familiarity, while also perpetuating a demeaning stereotype​ which is mentioned in “Clinging to mammy” by Mike McElya.
Aunt Jemima’s image was widely accepted for most of the 20th century, but times have changed. Increased awareness of racial issues and media’s role in reinforcing stereotypes led many people to see the “mammy” figure as offensive and outdated. Responding to criticism, PepsiCo, the parent company, rebranded the product in 2020, renaming it Pearl Milling Company and removing Aunt Jemima’s image from the packaging. This change reflects a larger trend toward rejecting racial stereotypes in branding​ according to “Goodbye Aunt Jemima” by Maria Kalaitzandonakes.

Stuart Hall’s theories on representation help explain this shift. Hall says images have a “preferred reading” which aligns with the dominant cultural values of the time. Aunt Jemima’s preferred reading was one of comfort and nostalgia, reinforcing a social order that kept African Americans in ideal  roles. But many people today see Aunt Jemima through interpreting her as a relic of systemic racism rather than a harmless mascot. Hall’s concept of polysemy where an image can be understood in multiple ways—shows how interpretations of Aunt Jemima have evolved with cultural shifts​ which was mentioned in the reading “I’s in town, Honey” by Cheryl Thompson.

Today, Aunt Jemima’s image is no longer seen as positive by a large portion of the public. While older generations might have seen a comforting figure, younger audiences see a harmful stereotype that reduces African American identity to a single, serve role. The rebranding to Pearl Milling Company shows how brands have to adapt to shifting cultural values to stay relevant and respectful.
The impact of the Aunt Jemima brand goes beyond selling pancake mix, it shaped societal attitudes toward African American women. By promoting the “mammy” stereotype, Aunt Jemima ads encouraged a narrow view of Black women, limiting their perceived roles to caregivers and laborers. This stereotype didn’t just influence perceptions but also affected how African American women were treated in the workplace and society at large. As Micki McElya explains, the appeal of the “mammy” character reflects a reluctance to confront the painful history of slavery and racism, instead promoting a fantasy of harmonious race relations that hides harsh realities​.

Barthes’ concept of myth is relevant here. The Aunt Jemima character promoted the myth of the loyal, content Black woman a figure that became naturalized in people’s minds. This myth glossed over the exploitation of African American women, portraying them as happy workers who existed to serve. In reality, the Aunt Jemima ad did more than sell pancakes—it shaped public perception and reinforced racial hierarchies that persisted for generations.

The Aunt Jemima advertisement is a classic example of how the media can reinforce social biases through stereotypes. By combining specific visual cues and nostalgia, the brand created an image that comforted white consumers while dehumanizing African American women. Using theories from Barthes, Saussure, Peirce, and Hall, we see how this advertisement was used as a tool for pushing racial stereotypes and influencing societal attitudes. The rebranding to Pearl Milling Company reflects progress but also proves the long-term impact of racialized advertising. As society moves forward, it’s essential for brands to avoid these stereotypes and embrace diverse, respectful representations that celebrate the full complexity of human identity and life.

Citations 

1. Kalaitzandonakes, Maria, et al. “Goodbye Aunt Jemima: Consumer Preferences for Pancake Mix Following Rebranding.” Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, vol. 56, no. 3, 2024, pp. 445–62, https://doi.org/10.1017/aae.2024.25.

2. McElya, Micki. Clinging to Mammy : The Faithful Slave in Twentieth-Century America. 1st ed., Harvard University Press, 2007, https://doi.org/10.4159/9780674040793.

3. Thompson, Cheryl. “‘I’se in Town, Honey’: Reading Aunt Jemima Advertising in Canadian Print Media, 1919 to 1962.” Journal of Canadian Studies, vol. 49, no. 1, 2015, pp. 205–37, https://doi.org/10.3138/jcs.49.1.205.

Draft

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RsKLaiippPADNULQHzFJ_jgTQmuXAwH2c5V5yHu5PpA/edit