The flame of debate has been kindled following a survey by GraphicSprings that asked over 4,000 American and British nationals what Santa Claus should look like in this day and age. Spoiler alert: nearly a third of the Americans surveyed think the jolly old elf should be rebranded as either female or gender-neutral.
GraphicSprings is a young logo-making company based in the US that offers several business-oriented services. They recently conducted a survey that first asked 400 people for suggestions on how Santa should be rebranded to make him more modern. Then, the company selected the most popular responses and carried out a far wider poll in which more than 4,000 people across the UK and the US voiced their opinion on the matter. The results are intriguing.
The Results
Using Google Surveys, the company asked several questions ranging from Santa’s looks to his means of transportation. Around 70% of people don’t think his accessories should be changed at all. Of those that do, 23% suggest he should have an iPhone, 25% say he should wear sneakers, and 18% believe he should be more “hipster.”
Regarding his transport, while 57% of respondents like his current reindeer-pulled flying sleigh, many would welcome a change. 22% of the people who’d agree he needs an update would like a flying car, 17% a hoverboard, and 23% want to see him using Amazon Prime. Imagine that.
Via DeviantArt
As for his actual looks, 73% would keep him as he is now. 18% (among those who’d change him) think Santa could use a new hairstyle, 21% believe he should go on a diet, and 20% would like him to sport tattoos!
When asked about gender, 72% of people like him as a man. But it’s significant that over 10% would rather rebrand him as female, and a whooping 17% actually want him to be portrayed as gender-neutral. That’s a significant percentage, and it’s not surprising. With the recent social revolution, more and more people seek fair representation—or, at least, non-alienation—in major cultural figures, whose image could go a long way in their constant struggle for recognition. It’s easy to understand why, at the very minimum, they’d want these characters to avoid reinforcing a binary conception of gender.
The Debate
So, why shouldn’t we rebrand this beloved character? Many people would argue that, as a traditional Christmas figure, Santa should remain as tradition has him. Then again, we must remember Santa’s current image is far from original or immutable. As a matter of fact, he is the product of several centuries of rebranding anyway. There has been plenty of iterations of the jolly old gift-giver, and you can bet today’s version won’t be the final one either way, no matter exactly what prompts the next change—whether it’s an inspired advertising campaign or the spirit of social progress. You know Rudolph? Thank a department store for that. What we hold dear about these characters is not exactly traditional in any deep or meaningful sense.
Then again, there might be other reasons to hold on to the current image for as long as we can. Perhaps we simply like it, or perhaps some just disagree with today’s social momentum. People often resist change for a wide variety of reasons, many of which are fair and valid—especially when it comes to childhood memories. Santa is an important part of that.
But the survey does raise an interesting question about these times of ours. Are we obliged to adapt “classic” figures to fit into the newly-developed and rapidly-evolving social parameters, or do we have a responsibility to preserve what seem to be harmless elements of the past—or neither? Tell us what you think.
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Other articles you might enjoy:
How A Rich Man And A Nordic God Gave Us Santa Claus
KFC For Dinner And Other Of The Most Unusual Christmas Traditions Around The World
The Most Magical Christmas Towns That Will Make You Feel In A Fairy Tale
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