Swatch Pulls "Slanted Eyes" Ad after Backlash
August 19, 25
(IDEX Online) - Swatch, the world's biggest watch seller, has withdrawn ads featuring an Asian model pulling the corners of his eyes, after complaints from China that the "slanted eye" gesture was a racist stereotype.
The image, which appeared on social media channels globally to promote the Swatch Essentials Collection, prompted an immediate backlash.
There were calls for a boycott of the Swiss watchmaker, demands for an apology and questions as to how the ad had cleared the company's internal review process.
Swatch reacted by swiftly pulling the ad and issuing apologies on Instagram and China's Weibo saying: "We treat this matter with the utmost importance and have immediately removed all related materials worldwide. We sincerely apologise for any distress or misunderstanding this may have caused."
Swatch, parent company to Breguet, Harry Winston, Blancpain, Tissot, Longines and Omega, reported a 14 per cent drop in sales during the six months to 30 June, largely as a result of "the huge reduction in demand for luxury goods in China".
It said it expected the Chinese market to remain challenging for the entire luxury goods industry until the end of the year.
Pic courtesy Swatch.