A Better Mix : General Mills Looks for ‘90s Betty Crocker

On the 75th anniversary of its Betty Crocker products, General Mills Inc. announced Monday that it is creating a new multiethnic image for the ultimate homemaker--using a computer to blend the images of real women.

“Betty” was brought into the world in 1921 in an artist’s composite sketch of General Mills’ female workers. Now she will undergo a computer makeover when the company digitally combines the faces of 75 real women, chosen in a contest, into a more modern corporate symbol.

The company is asking contestants to accompany photos with statements saying how they embody the ideals of “Betty,” which it defines as family and community spirit, creativity and interest in cooking. The 75 winners will be chosen from those whose essays match up best.

The resulting face, predict some diversity experts, will be a woman with a slightly tan complexion, Asian-looking eyes and a slightly broader nose.

“The new portrait will reflect American women today. The demographics of America have changed over the last several years, which the entries will likely show,” company spokesman Barry Wegener said.

“We expect the new Betty to look like a distant cousin of the current Betty,” Wegener said.

On her 75th birthday in February, Betty Crocker will be reborn in her most radical make-over yet, her eighth. Previous changes have altered her expression, hairdo and clothing.