Swatch apologizes after ad deemed racist in China

Swiss watchmaker Swatch has apologized and withdrawn an advertisement showing a model pulling at the corners of her eyes, following an outcry on Chinese social media . The campaign sparked accusations of racism and calls for a boycott.

In a message posted Saturday on Instagram and the Chinese social network Weibo, the brand acknowledged the "recent concerns regarding the depiction of a model" and announced that it had decided to remove the advertisement. "We sincerely apologize for any distress or misunderstanding this may have caused," the company added.

Many internet users did not consider this apology sufficient and continued to call for a boycott of the group's brands, including Blancpain, Longines, and Tissot. One Weibo user with over a million followers accused Swatch of "racism against the Chinese" and called for the company to be punished. Other voices urged consumers to turn their backs on the group.

China is one of Swatch's largest markets. But the watch industry is suffering from a slowdown in demand in the country. In July, the group announced an 11.2% drop in net sales for the first six months of the year, due to weak consumption in China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Southeast Asia, which is "heavily dependent on Chinese tourists."

Swatch isn't the first foreign brand to spark such controversy. In 2018, Dolce & Gabbana was criticized after videos were deemed caricatures. In 2023, Dior also caused an uproar with an advertisement showing a model pulling at the corner of her eye.