We’ve posted in the past about awkward or puzzling attempts by companies to recognize Black History Month. The L.A. Clippers let underprivileged kids attend a game for free, though technically in the wrong month. The NBC cafeteria offered fried chicken and collard greens, as did a grocery store. Or maybe you prefer to celebrate Black History Month by buying hair straightener. And sometimes companies just sort of say they’re celebrating Black History Month, but without any specifics.
Emma A. sent in our newest example. Chad Ochocinco, of the New England Patriots, tweeted this pic of Black History Month being celebrated…with a sale on Kool-Aid:
Yep.
Comments 29
Anonymous — February 9, 2012
OH HELL NO!
Anonymous — February 9, 2012
OH HELL NO!
Kathryn McAleese — February 9, 2012
Um. *facepalm* I think this... can be read two ways: 1) The signage represent ignorance on the part of the store/ corporate planogram, or
2) Stereotype awareness sometimes makes it harder to fight against them, especially if people say, "oh, but I *didn't* know. And you knew? How... strange."
*facepalms again*
Spekatie — February 9, 2012
Okay, Non-American here... Is there a specific streotype associated to Kool-Aid and blacks in the States, or is it just a randomstrange product to choose?
heidi — February 9, 2012
I think the store bought too much kool-aid, it happened to be black history month, so they had a sale on kool-aid and tied it to black history month. Does everything have to have some underlying meaning?
Gilbert Pinfold — February 9, 2012
Whew! Lucky they didn't put those Oreos on special.
Iyan_l — February 9, 2012
Effin idiots....
Celina Castillo — February 9, 2012
SMH
JonCarter — February 9, 2012
Note to retail stores: IGNORE BLACK HISTORY MONTH. It has nothing to do with you
Black History Month « exclusions and awakenings — February 9, 2012
[...] Yes, apparently it is. Like this:LikeBe the first to like this post. [...]
guest — February 19, 2012
Hmm 2.99 for oreos too? sounds like a good deal
Guest — February 22, 2012
I work in the grocery industry. I'm not sure what store this was in but there are a couple of reasonable explanations. Many stores run specials for 4, 6 or 8 weeks. Its very likely that this store is on a 4 week cycle and changes the look of their sale tag for each cycle. If that's true than any item on the 4 week sale in February got the special Black History Month tag.
The other explanation is that the store did targeted marketing based on their customer data and put items on sale that indexed high with black people, and Kool Aid was one of them. Where I work we don't get that detailed with the sales but its very much possible to do.
Racism sells « The Kooau — March 2, 2012
[...] Articles: ABC, Society Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:LikeBe the first to like this post. ← Previous [...]
FOOD FOR THOUGHT | storymama01 — March 24, 2012
[...] (the ASALH 2012 BHM theme) from more recent U.S. history near the store’s exit. Like Acme putting Kool-Aid and collard greens on sale for Black History Month, this patronizing attempt at outreach amounts to [...]
MercuryIsRed — March 19, 2013
I hate to ruin all the fun but that looks like a standard sale tag that was probably used on a lot of products.