Swiss watchmaker Swatch has withdrawn advertising posters in China after Chinese social media users accused the company of mocking the appearance of Asians, Reuters reported.
A Swatch advertising campaign sparked active discussion on Chinese social media late last week. In particular, in one of the photos in the series, a young man with Asian appearance is squinting the corners of his eyes. Chinese users believe that the advertisement looks like a mockery of the appearance of Asians. Thus, a student from China told the agency that she was shocked by the photos and did not understand how the company's management could approve such advertising products.
Over the weekend, the company announced on the Chinese social network Weibo that it had “taken into account the latest complaints“ and has removed all the controversial materials.
„We sincerely apologize for any pain or misunderstanding they [the advertising materials] may have caused“, the agency quotes the company's statement.
The company did not respond to requests for further comment. As the agency notes, Swatch has been struggling in the Chinese market in recent years, although it accounts for almost a third of the company's sales. Revenue for 2024 fell by almost 15%, largely due to low demand in China. Amid news of the scandalous advertising campaign, Swatch shares lost about 2% at the opening of trading on August 18, but recovered their losses. In addition to the difficulties in the Chinese market, the Swiss manufacturer may also face losses in the US due to the introduction of a 39% tariff on Swiss imports by President Donald Trump.