Swiss watchmaker Swatch has faced strong criticism after releasing an advertisement that many called racist. The ad showed an Asian model pulling the corners of his eyes upwards, a gesture linked to the offensive “slanted eye” stereotype often used to mock Asians.
The backlash started on Chinese social media, where users quickly condemned the image. They said it encouraged harmful stereotypes and accused Swatch of disrespect. As the anger grew, the company had to take action. Swatch removed the ad and published an apology on Instagram and the Chinese platform Weibo.
Swatch Pulls Down the Controversial Ad
“We treat this matter with the utmost importance and have immediately removed all related materials worldwide,” the company said. It also apologised for the “distress or misunderstanding” the ad caused.
Mixed reactions were recorded to the apology. While some accepted the apology, others rejected it. Several users on Weibo, including one with over a million followers, accused Swatch of racism against Chinese people and demanded punishment from regulators. Many called for a boycott of Swatch Group brands, which include Blancpain, Longines, and Tissot. One angry user wrote, “The brand’s image has collapsed. They think they can just apologise and fix everything? It’s not that simple.”
China Is One of Biggest Market for Swatch
The controversy comes at a difficult time for Swatch. China is one of its most important markets, making up about 27% of the company’s total sales last year. But the group has already been struggling with falling demand in the country. In 2024, Swatch’s revenue fell by 14.6% to 6.74 billion Swiss francs ($8.4 billion). Earlier this year, the company reported that sales in the first half had dropped 11.2%, which it blamed entirely on weak demand in China.
Swatch has been facing tough competition from other Western watch brands and challenges in the world’s second-largest economy. The backlash over its advertisement may worsen the company’s image in China at a time when it can least afford it.
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