Jonnie Onion Rings

In the vending machine in Engineering there is a rack loaded with Jonnie Onion Rings. It is an old corn based snack, from when the Celtic Tiger was a glimmer in some Lepracháin's eye.

A simpler time.

[Dramatic pause before beginning rant disproportionate to its cause]

The image on a Jonnie Onion Rings bag (above) is a man in a horizontally striped navy and white shirt, a twisted moustache and a beret. The man is holding a string of onions. A google of "stereotypical Frenchman" produces similar images... Really. How many other snack foods support a stereotype?*

I am reminded of Steve Coogan's Knowing Me Knowing You when he says,"That's not racist. French people chomp onions and go "hoh-hee-hoh-hee-hoh", that's a fact."

Maybe the Jonnie depicted on the bag supposed to be something to enjoy a chuckly while chomping on the snack? Maybe the creators of the product name have more going on under the hood than I would credit. Maybe I am making a mountain out of a mole-hill. Maybe the weather will decide if it is going to be sunny or rainy today. Maybe they were right not to consider prosthetic claws for Mr Jackman in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Maybe the shot 25s into the latest Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen trailer is unnecessary. Maybe the key to Sherlock's release is not under the pillow. Maybe I am still on topic...

Since we live in a country where blasphemy is a crime and someone can get in trouble for making caricatures about a public figure, it probably fits with how we are marketed abroad.

[This outburst is kindly brought to you after listening Bill Hicks' misanthropic ragings]

*Rereading this, I decided I better cover my ass when it came to the truckloads of rhetorical questions I fired out. America, being PC happy as it is, has had a number of studies regarding stereotyping in marketing. The link goes through an analysis of a children-aimed commercials and ethnic portrayals determining whether there are stereotypes being enforced.
A quick glance through the paper indicates the answer is yes there are stereotypes. Asians and Caucasians are more likely to appear where toys and other "discretionary" wares are being pedalled, with other minorities relegated to side-roles and in those cases usually only with snack foods and lower value items. There are some other points in it but some of them were survey based, which I don't care for because [1, 2- cheers Neil for pointing me to them]. Plus people have trouble answering things well.** And "people lie"³

** Some interesting Ted Talks about Cognitive Biase, we are suckers for illusions