By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Swatch has issued an apology and removed an advertisement featuring a model pulling the corners of his eyes, after the image sparked outrage among Chinese social media users. The controversial pose was seen as resembling the racist “slanted eye” gesture historically used to mock Asians. Following the ad’s viral spread, calls for a boycott of Swatch products emerged on Chinese social media platforms. Despite the company’s apology, many critics remain unsatisfied, accusing Swatch of prioritizing profits over genuine remorse.
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Swatch sorry for ‘slanted eyes’ ad after China uproar. Seriously, you have to wonder what was going through the minds of the people who greenlit this whole thing. The image, let’s be honest, wasn’t exactly subtle. It showed a man with his eyes pulled back, a gesture that, in this context, is pretty clearly referencing a racist stereotype. It’s just… bizarre. You’d think someone, anyone, in the multi-layered approval process would have thought, “Hey, maybe this isn’t the best idea?” Especially considering how much money some of these people are likely making – we’re talking six figures and beyond for some of those involved, maybe even closer to half a million. It’s a head-scratcher how this made it through.
Swatch sorry for ‘slanted eyes’ ad after China uproar. The image’s purpose? To sell a watch, apparently. But honestly, who looks at that picture and thinks, “Wow, I need that Swatch!” The photo looks like it was designed to be offensive. This is even more perplexing. Marketing campaigns go through so many stages of review. It really begs the question of how this was approved. It makes you wonder about the critical thinking skills of everyone involved. It’s also a reminder that Swatch, a brand many of us likely remember from our childhoods, is still around and, surprisingly, still makes watches.
Swatch sorry for ‘slanted eyes’ ad after China uproar. Considering China is an enormous market, it’s hard to believe they weren’t aware of how this would be received, or the significance of the imagery. The US’s 40% tariffs on Swiss goods mean that Switzerland has to play nice with China, as the market is so huge. What were they thinking? It just seems like an incredibly tone-deaf move, especially from a global brand. Some people have described it as “pure idiocy and racism.” There’s no excusing this. It’s not a matter of misinterpretation; it’s just a really bad decision.
Swatch sorry for ‘slanted eyes’ ad after China uproar. What’s even more wild is that there’s seemingly no real explanation for the ad. No attempt to contextualize it or frame it as anything other than what it looks like. It’s just there, a photo of a man pulling at his eyes with seemingly no explanation behind it. It’s even more embarrassing considering the fact that the model in the photo is of Asian descent. The fact that this didn’t raise any red flags during the approval process is mind-boggling.
Swatch sorry for ‘slanted eyes’ ad after China uproar. The context of the photo series is important. It seems that Swatch was trying to convey a mood of boredom, tiredness, and a general sense of malaise with the photos. However, regardless of what the intention was, the ad is undeniably racist. Maybe the aim was to represent “intense thinking” or “mind control,” but the gesture is still a racist one. When advertisements mix photo shoots with high fashion it can sometimes lead to bizarre results. It appears that the ad was meant to portray someone looking tired. However, the imagery is still offensive, even if the goal was to portray this look of feeling tired.
Swatch sorry for ‘slanted eyes’ ad after China uproar. The reaction to this has been, predictably, outrage. It’s not a surprise that the internet went wild. This type of marketing is just not acceptable, and it’s good to see the backlash that followed. The fact that the ad was still up on the official website at all is wild and speaks to a certain lack of awareness.
Swatch sorry for ‘slanted eyes’ ad after China uproar. And let’s not forget, Swatch isn’t just Swatch anymore. They own a bunch of other brands, like Omega, Blancpain, Longines, Breguet, Tissot, and even Hamilton. So this lapse in judgment reflects poorly on a whole family of brands, which is why the “sorry we got caught being racist” feels like the only appropriate reaction.
Swatch sorry for ‘slanted eyes’ ad after China uproar. There’s no way around it: This was a blunder. They tried a “Sweeney”. The timing is bad, especially considering past controversies involving fashion brands and cultural sensitivity in China. There was the widespread boycott of global fashion brands in 2021 after they expressed concern over alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang province. The stakes are high, especially given how important the Chinese market is for these kinds of brands.
Swatch sorry for ‘slanted eyes’ ad after China uproar. It’s a reminder of how easily things can go wrong in global marketing. The world is full of opportunities for brands to make missteps, and this is a textbook example. It just goes to show that even with layers of approvals, things can slip through the cracks, and sometimes those cracks are as wide as a racist trope. And, even though this will likely soon be forgotten, it does give us something to remember Swatch by.