'Nogger Black' ice cream accused of being racist

First Norway was in protest over the McAfrika burger some years ago, now we have Sweden causing uproar over the controversial 'Nogger Black' Ice cream.

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - A Swedish rights group cried foul over advertisements for a liquorice ice-cream, saying the posters for "Nogger Black" were racist.

Not only could the name of the ice-cream bar made by GB Glace cause offence, but the posters, with graffiti-style text, lampooned black culture, the Center Against Racism said.

"The GB Glace company may not be racist, but the ads they use give new life to racist stereotypes," the campaigning group said in a statement.

GB Glace, a part of Anglo-Dutch group Unilever, said it did not believe the ice-cream, or its advertising, was racist. However, it was considering withdrawing another advertising campaign due in May.
Reuters
'Nogger Black' Product Information

Regardless of whether the company had a hidden agenda, it seems odd that a corporation would base their PA campaign on something called 'Nogger Black'. The simple title alone is a playground for activist to protest against. It's just not smart to name something this close to being offensive.

funniest icecream EVER

nogger black, those swedes are comedians!

In my eyes it's very smart to name something that close to being offensive. Advertising is an expensive thing. If you can get coverage of your product without damaging the profits of your company, then your on to a winner.

Now, I know what word Nogger is similar to in English, but is it the same or not in their native language? There are lots of amusingly named products around the world as any visitor to the Engrish site will testify.

Anyway, time to go to the freezer.

Originally posted by Irma
Advertising is an expensive thing. If you can get coverage of your product without damaging the profits of your company, then your on to a winner.

Controversy is synonymous to advertising. In a corporate sense, get it when you can take it. But there is such a thing as 'bad' controversy such as the plummeting of the Kathy Lee clothing line stock because of its link with sweat shops in South and Central America.

Originally posted by Irma
Now, I know what word Nogger is similar to in English, but is it the same or not in their native language? There are lots of amusingly named products around the world as any visitor to the Engrish site will testify.

Apparently, the Nogger word has been in circulation in Sweden for 25 years and means "nougat". As the link says, it's odd that it took as long to construe this as offensive.

IMHO, no big deal.

Still, you have to wonder...who puts out an Ice-cream named Nogger Black, not expecting negative feedback? I mean come on...lol I'm laughing here, but...only because Stupidity is funny.

Originally posted by Loki
Still, you have to wonder...who puts out an Ice-cream named Nogger Black, not expecting negative feedback?

Let me guess, a Swede who used the word "nougat" (nogger) for 25 years and then realized the black licorice core of the ice cream cone is well, black.


I have a better one for you. If memory serves me right, about 11 years ago, there was a seminar planned at University of Ohio. The topic of the seminar was a recent theory in the area of general relativity, which predicted a peculiar features of the objects known as black holes. The hard to calculate structures in time-space, predicted by this elaborate theory, could be described as "hair" growing out of the black hole. So the object was nicknamed a "hairy black hole". This terms was used in a few published papers at the time. The were flyers announcing the lecture, posted around the campus.

Guess what -- the lecture was canceled due to a complaint. I think the cancellation was a sign a Middle Ages coming to this country. And maybe I was right

[edit on 18-4-2005 by Aelita]

Apparently, the Nogger word has been in circulation in Sweden for 25 years and means "nougat". As the link says, it's odd that it took as long to construe this as offensive.

IMHO, no big deal.

Agreed....heck, in England, cigarettes are called "fags"... You know, the idea of racist comments would lose their sting if people just frickin' grew a backbone and had something better to do than bitch about every little misperceived sleight.

You know why we whiteys and crackers don't get so offended at such terms? It's amazingly simple, it's because we simply laugh at them, and refuse to allow them to have stinging power.... By allowing words to hurt one, it simply facilitates the use of them....

Racism in wrong on one basic fact: there are no races. We are all one race here.

As far as the ice cream, I am not a racist, but thats damn funny.
I think it's very effective because they are generating intrest without being over-the-top racist. Risky enough to be news wworthy but not enough to be truely wrong.

Originally posted by cownosecat
Racism in wrong on one basic fact: there are no races. We are all one race here.

As far as the ice cream, I am not a racist, but thats damn funny.
I think it's very effective because they are generating intrest without being over-the-top racist. Risky enough to be news wworthy but not enough to be truely wrong.

for one, I'm dying to taste this new ice cream.

Hey, are there any Swedish people here? Can we pitch in and arrange a shipment?

Originally posted by Gazrok
....heck, in England, cigarettes are called "fags"...

"Smoking a fag" could really be misconstrued by a lot of people.

You're killing me Gaz!!

Peace

Exactly....

for one, I'm dying to taste this new ice cream.

Not me...licorice? Eww....

Originally posted by Gazrok
Exactly....

for one, I'm dying to taste this new ice cream.

Not me...licorice? Eww....

I absolutely love licorice! The black jelly beans, mmmm....

I like licorice and I like ice cream, but the thought of both of them together makes me want to yak!!

As far as the main topic goes, I've seen more than a few things European that might be seen as over the top, especially in the U.S.. I don't think that racism is as big a problem over in Sweden as it is in the U.S., so I don't really see it as a big deal unless they start carrying this product at the local 7-Eleven in Birmingham, Alabama.

Peace

[edit on 18-4-2005 by Dr Love]

I wonder why there is such a niggardly amount of licorice
in the center...

If everyone in Sweden knows Nooger simply means Nougat, why was a SWEDISH civil rights organization complaining about it?

Originally posted by Flinx
If everyone in Sweden knows Nooger simply means Nougat, why was a SWEDISH civil rights organization complaining about it?

Because they are bored and want publicity?

There is also an Ice Cream from the same company simply called 'Nogger'

I can't understand how people can react so hard on this, Nogger is an icecream that has been around for a long time. There are much bigger and serius racial issues that happens every day but people dont care about that.

The icecream company should have put some more thought in about how they should promote their new icecream, but i don't think that it's meant it to be racist.

It's sad but the big newspapers in Sweden has gone more and more into sensational journalism, instead of dealing with big issues (just my opinon)

/Todd

Originally posted by Irma
Now, I know what word Nogger is similar to in English, but is it the same or not in their native language?

Yes, it is similar (the same actually), and it IS offensive in Scandinavia to.

Originally posted by Aelita
Apparently, the Nogger word has been in circulation in Sweden for 25 years and means "nougat". As the link says, it's odd that it took as long to construe this as offensive.

IMHO, no big deal.

Do you see any nougat in this ice-cream? No? It's a liquorice ice-cream, not a nougat ice-cream.

Originally posted by Dr Love
I don't think that racism is as big a problem over in Sweden as it is in the U.S.
[edit on 18-4-2005 by Dr Love]

It would take a quite bit to make anything as bad as it is in the US Believe it or not. Sweden has an active Neo-nazi front witch has beaten up and killed people.

It might have been meant as a joke, but I don't find it funny.


EDIT:

Originally posted by Simulacra
There is also an Ice Cream from the same company simply called 'Nogger'

I presume that's where the nougat comes in. Nevertheless they should have seen this coming.

It's not being PC police, it's having a bit of common sense!

[edit on 18/4/05 by gekko]