Fast food giant Burger King has pulled an advert showing customers trying to eat burgers with chopsticks after a massive backlash.
The video appeared on Burger King New Zealand's Instagram feed. It showed people with oversized chopsticks struggling to eat the company’s new "Vietnamese Sweet Chilli Tendercrisp Burger". None of the actors were Vietnamese.
The advert was deleted on Tuesday after a huge outcry from people who accused Burger King of mocking Asian dining customs.
Maria Mo, a New Zealander of Korean descent, said in a sarcastic Twitter thread, which went viral: “CHOPSTICKS R HILARIOUS right.
“This is how Asians eeeeeeeat.
“Orientalism is harmless funnnn.
“I'm so sick of racism. Of any kind. Of the kind that makes fun of different cultures, to the kind that shoots and murders those peacefully praying in their place of worship. Say no to every single manifestation of it.”
Chinese media outlets compared the video to Dolce and Gabbana’s advert last year which featured a Chinese model struggling to eat pizza and spaghetti with chopsticks. The luxury brand's co-founders later asked for forgiveness in a video apology.
Meanwhile, the hashtag "Burger King apology" had been viewed more than 50 million times on the microblog platform Sina Weibo by Tuesday.
Burger King said it asked the franchisee to remove the video immediately.
It said in a statement: "The ad in question is insensitive and does not reflect our brand values regarding diversity and inclusion.”
