In 2010 there was a court case in China where Black People Toothpaste (aka Darlie) sued Whitemen Toothpaste for copyright infringement. The claim was that consumers could not tell the difference between the toothpastes because of similar packaging. It was eventually ruled that consumers could in fact tell the difference (Duh!) and that the similar packaging was not copyright infringement.
Darlie, aka 黑人牙膏 (hēirén yágāo, lit. Black People Toothpaste) is a toothpaste brand popular across East Asia. Their logo promotes the racial misconception that black people have especially white teeth. The brand’s logo, much like Aunt Jamima, has gradually been toned down over the years. Formerly known as Darkie, the name was changed to Darlie in 1985 when Colgate-Palmolive bought out the company. They also changed the logo to make it less offensive. The picture on the right shows the evolution of the logo.
Darlie’s racist logo seems to me like something straight out of 1950’s America, something from a bygone era. So it is especially interesting that Darlie is now owned by an American company. It is surprising to me that Colgate-Palmolive turns a blind eye to American political correctness and continues to market the paste in Asia. By the way, the toothpaste is available at Asian markets in the US. I recently saw it for sale in Cleveland at a market called Park to Shop.
During my time living in China as an English teacher I often saw another toothpaste on the shelves of my local corner store: 黑妹牙膏 (hēimèi yágāo, Black Sister Toothpaste). According to Hudong, this competitor toothpaste also has a long history in China, going back to 1985.
Americans who travel in China will almost certainly be shocked at some of the non-pc comments and jokes they will probably hear about black people. Have any Skritter users out there had to deal with this issue in China?