Language Center Labeled ‘Racist’ Over Ad Mimicking & Ridiculing Chinese Accent
Image via Shutterstock
A language tutoring agency in Singapore called TUTOROO is receiving flak after unveiling an ad that has been described as racist.
In the commercial, titled Getting the phone number of a Chinese girl, a white man is seen exchanging glances with a Chinese woman in a bar. Upon leaving, he chases her and asks for her number.
In response, she says in a thick accent, “Sex, sex, sex. Free sex tonight.” Her answer prompts a double take from the man, and she immediately grabs his phone to type the numbers, “6663629.”
The clip then cuts to a scene of the man teaching the woman how to pronounce the digits in English before flashing the tagline, “Find the best language tutors near you now.”
The advert, which aimed to promote TUTOROO connecting mentors to students, has been branded as “misogynistic” and “distasteful.”
The language agency, however, defended the spot and hit back at critics. “We believe that we can make fun of any language or accent, and we will,” the company said. It also shared another video back on 15 Feb, making fun of an Indian accent.
A British guy asks a Chinese girl for her number, here is how she answers.
— TUTOROO (@ContactTutoroo) January 22, 2020
Teach your mother tongue anywhere with TUTOROO now: https://t.co/rz0eZ4UDp9. #6663629 #learnEnglish #Englishtutor #learnChinese #Chineseteacher pic.twitter.com/HE2dQqXmJH
This is beyond awful. I think you should take it down, apologize and send whoever came up with it and whoever approved it on some diversity training.
— Vanessa Nolan (@essix_girl) February 20, 2020
Wow, new levels. That I'm seeing advertising sink to.
— 譚巧瑜 Hau-Yu 🌹😷🖐️☝️ (@tamhauyu) February 21, 2020
Just curious how many of yr co are white men or ppl who've bought into white supremacist ideas? Amazingly, taking piss out of many langs does not give you a pass to put out toxic sexist, fetishising Sinophobic content.
Because this is a sick racist and sexist imagining. It reinforces the stereotype that Chinese women are easy and that they can't speak English well...
— yuting (@gab_5y) February 21, 2020
We believe that YES, the video we made is FUNNY. We believe that NO, it is not racist nor sexist. We believe we can make fun of any language or accent, and we will. Strangely enough, none of the videos making fun of accents such as French, Spanish, Arabic or Hindi ever 3/X
— TUTOROO (@ContactTutoroo) February 21, 2020
Now, this is funny. We released this video a year ago on @Facebook. It went viral there & on @WhatsApp. Especially in South East Asia. People loved it. 0 complaint. TUTOROO is a Singaporean 🇸🇬 startup. For those who’ve never been there, 1/X
— BIGGER Stronger Ideas (@NicolasVanhove) February 20, 2020
Don’t waste your time anymore and hire an experienced English tutor in your city with TUTOROO here directly: https://t.co/8GQpkNr0gs. #EnglishTeacher #LearnEnglish #HappyValentinesDay #EnglishLessons pic.twitter.com/wNU4xYI1oj
— TUTOROO (@ContactTutoroo) February 15, 2020
[via VICE, opening image via Shutterstock]
