Swatch says ‘slanted eye’ ad was a ‘faux pas by a young team’

After a botched ad campaign in China, the Swatch Group says it is back on track – yet some fundamental questions remain to be answered. In August, Swatch chose a rather unlikely image as part of its ad campaign in China: an Asian model pulling at the corners of his eyes. It quickly became apparent that this was not a good idea. The well-known Swiss watch brand fast found itself at the centre of online uproar and widespread accusations of racial stereotyping. The company hastily withdrew all the images and apologised “for any distress or misunderstanding this may have caused”. As the furore in China and other Asian countries was already dying down, speculation was rife in Switzerland about the damage to the brand, with all kinds of rescue measures being bandied about. One marketing expert even declared prominently that Swatch CEO Nick Hayek should apologise for the slip-up. The reactions show the scepticism which the firm’s management faces in its home country, with company shares ... Full story here Are you the author? Previous post See more for 3.) Swissinfo Business and Economy Next post
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