Get All Access for $5/mo

A News Anchor Was Reportedly Let Go Because She Let Her Hair Turn Gray. Now, Companies Are Showing Support By Changing Their Branding. Wendy's Canada and Dove are among companies taking a stand against an alleged discriminatory firing at a Canadian media company.

By Emily Rella

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Alejandro Guzmani | Shutterstock

Wendy's signature mascot — the image of a young girl with her signature bright red hair and freckled face — is iconic and instantly recognizable.

But recently, across social media in Canada, the beloved burger joint has changed its logo to give Wendy a startling new look — gray hair.

The new logo was first noticed on Wendy's Twitter account where the company Tweeted out a photo of the image before changing the account avatar to match, alongside the hashtag #LisaLaFlamme.

The change was made in support of Canadian news anchor Lisa LaFlamme, who worked at Canada's Bell Media for 30 years (an on-camera anchor for 11) before she was told her contract would not be renewed at that her longstanding run with the company would be ending.

LaFlamme revealed the news on Twitter in a two-minute long video where she lamented about the company's decision, saying that she was "blindsided" and clarified that she was leaving her employer "in a manner that's not my choice."

Rumors had swirled that the reasoning behind LaFlamme's departure was because amid the pandemic, especially during lockdowns and business shutdowns, LaFlamme had stopped continuing to dye her hair her signature blonde color, thus opting to stay naturally gray while on-camera.

Mirko Bibic, President of Bell Media, denied the claims in a statement posted to his LinkedIn profile over the weekend.

"The narrative has been that Lisa's age, gender or grey hair played into the decision. I am satisfied that this is not the case and wanted to make sure you heard it from me," he claimed. "To address concerns raised regarding the working environment in the newsroom we have begun an independent review involving confidential interviews with all newsroom employees who choose to participate. Any necessary changes that become evident will be implemented swiftly to ensure a respectful, unified workplace."

However, Bell Media executive Michael Selling has taken a voluntary leave from the company after it was reported by multiple outlets that he asked during a meeting who had approved the decision to "let Lisa's hair go grey."

Selling has not publicly commented on the matter any further.

Wendy's was joined by Dove Canada who announced a $100,000 donation to Catalyst, a Canadian company that aims to foster inclusive workplaces for women. The brand has encouraged women to change their profile images to greyscale in support.

"Age is beautiful," the company wrote. "Women should be able to do it on their own terms, without any consequences."

Entrepreneur has reached out to Bell Media for comment.

As of Monday afternoon, Wendy's initial announcement of the logo swap on Twitter had received over 46,000 likes.

The company was down just shy of 15% globally at the same time Monday year over year.

Emily Rella

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Growing a Business

5 Effective Strategies to Boost Your Business's Online Presence

Boosting your online presence in 2025 is the key to success for businesses looking to grow. Working on your branding and reputation management is important to drive more sales and improve conversion.

Marketing

He Pitched His First Business at 12 and Sold a Company for 8 Figures When He Was 23. Here's This Gen Z Marketing Expert's Next Big Move.

Griffin Haddrill built a marketing empire working with artists like Justin Bieber and Lil Nas X. Learn how he tapped into Gen Z's digital culture and turned viral campaigns into a business model.

Business News

Apple Is Adding ChatGPT to iPhones This Week. Here's How It Works.

ChatGPT will take over questions that Siri can't answer.

Science & Technology

Use This Framework to Successfully Integrate AI Into Your Business Operations

Here's how to ensure both innovation and compliance when using AI in your organization.

Growing a Business

Why Business Owners Should Streamline Their Operations Now for Success in 2025

As the holiday season and year-end approach, business owners face heightened operational demands, from inventory management to spend control. By streamlining these processes and partnering with flexible suppliers, businesses can maintain efficiency, meet customer needs and focus on growth while navigating this busy period.