Friday, 13 November 2009
There was a recent news story about Coles changing the name of a product line of biscuits from “Creole Creams” as a response to criticisms that the name was racist.
The more interesting aspect to the story — not commented on anywhere that I could find — was why Coles might have chosen the name “Creole Creams”.
On the surface, it seems an odd choice. What does a term for persons of French/Spanish descent — and often used particularly nowadays to describe a people located around and in the Louisiana area — have to do with a biscuit (aka cookie)?
The short answer seemed to be me to be the first four letters of the word. The fragment “creo” looks very much like “oreo”. And, as the articles note, “Creole Creams” biscuits “resemble Oreo biscuits”.
A picture shows it even more clearly (noting the use of the lower case C):
Maybe I’m off-base on this one, and I’m open to comments/correction, but I wonder whether the name was chosen to fit around that fragment, on the basis it would have subliminal effect?
3 Responses to “Creole/Oreo biscuits”
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November 13th, 2009 at 11:34 am
I agree. I never noticed it before, but now that you mentioned it, is see the resemblence. To me, it is reminiscient of Dick Smith’s chocolate Tim-Tam-esque biscuits “TEMpTINs”, and I think he used to make them under the name “TT’s” before the trademark/manufacturer was bought out by Arnotts. Both were at least a bit cheeky in my opnion.
February 24th, 2011 at 10:35 pm
It seems that Coles has not truly expunged the memory of ‘Creole Creams’. I purchased packet of ‘Coles Creams’ today, which of course is clear evidence that Coles has done away with commercial name ‘Creole Creams’ on its packaging. However, my receipt reads ‘Coles Creole Creams, 250g for $2.15.
March 1st, 2011 at 6:04 pm
hell sssidd