This is a bad buzz that Swatch would have gone well. The Swiss watchmaker apologized and withdrew an advertising that showed a model shooting his eyes, after accusations of racism and boycott called Chinese social networks.
In a message posted on Saturday, August 16 on Instagram and on the Chinese social network Weibo, Swatch recognized the “recent concerns about the representation of a model” in the announcement in question, and declared that he has decided to eliminate it.
Many Internet users were not satisfied with the company’s response and maintained their boycott calls for the Swatch group brands, which include Blancpain, Longines and Tissot. A Weibo user with more than one million subscribers accused the group of “racism towards the Chinese”, and demanded that he be sanctioned. Others have urged consumers to boycott the company.
Fall in turnover
China is one of the largest markets in the Swatch group, and the watchmaking sector as a whole faces a demand fall in the country. In July, the group announced a 11.2% drop in its net turnover during the first six months of the year, due to the weakness of consumption in China, Hong Kong and Macao, as well as in the markets of Southeast Asia “strongly dependent on Chinese tourists,” he acknowledged the Swiss watchmaker.
Swatch is not the first foreign brand to be accused of racism in China. Dolce & Gabbana was strongly criticized in 2018 after having posted promotional videos that show a Chinese model, which awkwardly uses baguettes to eat Italian cuisine. In 2023, Dior also caused an uproar with an advertising that shows a model, which also retired from the corner of the eye.
Source: BFM TV
