Mercedes-Benz Faces Backlash Over Model’s Eyes In Chinese Advertisement
Mercedes-Benz has found itself in the middle of a media storm in China with an advertisement that has swept up a debate over how foreign companies depict Asian-looking features.
The Communist Party’s Global Times newspaper reported that the campaign video had been uploaded onto the automaker’s official Weibo account last week, and has since been removed due to the backlash.
“The makeup of the female model looked like slanted eyes and once again aroused a heated discussion from netizens with many blaming that the makeup reflects Western stereotypes about Asian people,” the paper said.
According to a report by Bloomberg, which has seen a screenshot of the video and not the full advertisement, the model in question appeared to be of Chinese ethnicity. Other companies have faced similar outrage by the country’s netizens, including a local brand named Three Squirrels Inc.
As per the South China Morning Post, the company had recently been made to apologize for advertisements featuring model Cai Niang Niang, who donned makeup that emphasized the slant of her eyes.
In this instance, the model herself refuted the claims, saying: “With small eyes, am I not Chinese? I totally agree with patriotism. However, creating big problems out of normal matters has become a morbid obsession.”
Luxury fashion house Gucci also found itself embroiled in the debate just recently, when The Global Times took issue with how a female model looked in the brand’s advertisement for a handbag.
“Gucci was found to feature an Asian-looking model with small eyes, ‘unconventional’ makeup, an exaggerated nose ring, and a leather whip in her hand,” reported the local tabloid last week.
It does seem that Mercedes-Benz is just the latest example in a series of global brands that have drawn the ire of Chinese internet users, though opinions vary if their accusations are indeed valid. Chances are, companies will have to take precautions going forward and ensure their advertising campaigns don’t cause a stir for the wrong reasons.
🔻 screenshots of the Mercedes ad that caused a backlash in China
— Byron Wan (@Byron_Wan) December 29, 2021
2/n pic.twitter.com/JrPD0XkOIt
[via Bloomberg, cover image via Boggy | Dreamstime.com]
