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BrauBlog

Touting collard greens for Black History Month: now a trend story!

By David Brauer | Published Mon, Feb 9 2009 8:30 pm

In the wake of Neal Justin's report about KSTP killing a piece on an unnamed local grocery chain advertising collard greens for Black History Month, we've now established that two operations employ the practice.

Earlier today, a Braublog reader unearthed this ad from Eden Prairie-based Super Valu that ran on the East Coast. But it's trumped by the local Rainbow Foods circular (above) touting not just greens but ... frying chicken!

As Saturday Night Live's Seth Myers might say, "Really, Rainbow Foods? Fried Chicken for Black History Month? Barack Obama's first full month as president. Really?"

Another thing that kills me: If you look at the bottom of the ad, the prices are only good at inner-city or minority-heavy suburban Rainbows. Note to Milwaukee-based parent Roundy's, Inc.: That's not exactly the "rainbow" we were looking for.

No story here, Channel 5. Sheesh.

[Hat tip to several enterprising readers willing to do a little dumpster diving: Matt, Kate and John.]

Media | Mon, Feb 9 2009 8:30 pm | 9 Comments

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9 Comments: Hide/Show Comments

(#1) On February 9, 2009, Kassie Church says:

And the peanut butter, with a little history of George Washington Carver, the peanut guy, to the right.

(#2) On February 10, 2009, Neal Justin says:

Just want to confirm that it was indeed Rainbow Foods flier that prompted the KSTP report. I did not include it in my original story because I was unable to unearth the flier in time and wanted to see it for myself before "outing" them. Now that I see it, I do have to wonder why this story didn't have legs...

(#3) On February 10, 2009, Chris David says:

Jason DeRusha of WCCO's "Good Question" is apparently planning to do a story on this tonight. One stations' castoff is another stations' treasure...
http://cbslocalblogs.prospero.com/n/blogs/blog.aspx?nav=main&webtag=WCCO_Jasonblog&entry=342

(#4) On February 10, 2009, Tim Roman says:

We were talking about this last night, and concluded that it's all about context. If it was actually historically informative, it could be valid, if it were without historical context, it would be purely exploitative.

Forgot to consider that the commercial aspect itself makes it fundamentally exploitative.

That the offer is valid only in the more urban areas is exploitative, if it were offered only in suburban areas, it would be blatantly racist.

The "Seth Myers" quote pretty much nails it, without having to go through the cultural studies deconstruction!

(#5) On February 10, 2009, Thomas Swift says:

http://looktruenorth.com

Oh HO!

Where do I send my Irish outrage when corned beef and cabbage is touted everywhere this March 17th?

Pffft....sometimes lefties just leave me at a loss.

(#6) On February 10, 2009, BD Maginnis says:

Swift:

I will make a note to send Brau and the other PC Police some Guinness beer ads when we get to St. Patricks Day.

I am sure DeRusha et al will be all over THAT!

Heh.

(#7) On February 10, 2009, Robert Moffitt says:

Thomas Swift is also offended whenever crackers are advertised, no doubt.

(#8) On February 10, 2009, Jason DeRusha says:

http://wcco.com/jasonblog

BD and Thomas: I'm not sure the analogy to other holidays holds up. 1) St. Patrick's Day is a feast. Food is part of that. Black History Month doesn't have a potluck dinner, as far as I know.

2) There's a unique history of food being used to denigrate black people in America. Think of the Little Black Sambo image.

Not that I'm saying this ad is good or bad. I am saying that based on reaction we got from real people (as opposed to the online reaction), this thing is a little bit complicated. How do we do targeted marketing without perpetuating negative stereotypes?

(#9) On February 11, 2009, Thomas Swift says:

http://looktruenorth.com

Jason, in exchange for the recepie for preparing corned beef, which they, like the overwhelming majority of Irish citizens, never had seen before reaching America's shores, any and all of my Grandparents would surely have offered you a bit of Irish wisdom brought straight from the Auld Sod.

Since only Grandma Nash is still around, and since she's no doubt busy preparing the traditional green beer kegs according to the ancient family methods, I'll discharge their debt:

Quit while you're behind.

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David Brauer authors Braublog and is MinnPost's local media reporter. He's covered media and politics as a writer and editor since 1983 for City Pages, the Southwest/Downtown Journal, KFAN and KSTP-AM, Mpls.St.Paul, Minnesota Monthly, Law & Politics, the Business Journal, KARE11 and national outlets. Follow him on Twitter. Email: dbrauer [at] minnpost [dot] com.

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