New York, USA (CNN) – The new CEO of the American auto company “Jeep” said that his company is open to dropping the name “Cherokee” from its cars in response to objections from the Native American tribe of the same name.
The company is currently in talks with Native American officials, according to Carlos Tavares, chief executive of Stilantis, the recently amalgamated auto company that houses the Jeep brand. Tavares made the comment in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, and the company has confirmed his comments.
Asked about dropping the name, Tavares said, “We are ready to get to any point, up to the point where we decide with the right people and without intermediaries. At this point, I don’t know if there is a real problem. “.
Objections to the car’s name were raised by Chuck Hoskin Jr., the Cherokee tribe chief. Hoskin said in a statement last month: “I think we are in a day and age in this country where the time has come for both companies and sports teams to stop using Native American names and images. In their products, shirts, and sports collections in general. “
The Grand Cherokee is among the best-selling vehicles of any of the Stilantis brands in terms of global sales. It is also the second best-selling car for the company in the United States, after the “Ram Pickup” truck.
The name “Cherokee” was first used in an SUV in 1974.
The talk about the name “Cherokee” comes at a time when many sports teams and companies are rethinking slogans that rely on racial or stereotypical representations of minorities.
Source link