Timepiece brand Swatch has recently faced criticism over a new ad featuring a model recreating a racist gesture. Despite the brand's speedy apology, the internet has been steadfast in its objection to the stunt, with calls for a boycott of the brand.
The best adverts often spark conversation, but Swatch's lapse in judgment has proved detrimental to its reputation. Apologies aside, it's a marketing move that should've never been approved, and I'm at a loss as to how it even got approved.
The ad in question features a model pulling at the sides of his eyes, mimicking a racist gesture used to discriminate against Asian people. Soon, a rush of backlash flooded in, with critics calling it "disgusting" and "a deliberate display of supremacy", amidst calls to "fire the people that approved and developed that racist ad."
In a subsequent Instagram post, Swatch wrote, “We sincerely apologise for any distress or misunderstanding this may have caused,” and despite redacting the ad, critics weren't buying the apology. Many felt that choosing to frame the controversy as a "misunderstanding" was reductive, making for a lacklustre, empty statement. "It shifts the blame onto those who reacted, implying they’re 'too sensitive', rather than acknowledging the real issue," one Instagram user wrote in response.
As an Asian woman who's all too familiar with this gesture, it amazes me that any of Swatch's team didn't question the ad. In my opinion, I can see no stylistic or editorial purpose to use such an insensitive image, and whether or not it was an accident is irrelevant. It's 2025, do better.
For more ad controversy, check out Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle ad and take a look at the brands that made ingenious clapbacks to counter the hate.
