Some Chinese social media have recently targeted Mercedes-Benz over ads that allegedly emphasized the model’s slate eyes. According to a Bloomberg report, the ad was placed on Weibo’s Mercedes-Benz account, but was subsequently removed as a heated debate about portraying Asian-style features by Western companies.

Many social media users of Weibo, the Chinese version of Twitter, pointed out that this ad is trying to highlight the headlights of Mercedes cars, trying to compare it to the diagonal eyes of the model. “Makeup for female models looks like diagonal eyes, and it has reignited a fierce debate from netizens, who have been accused of reflecting Western stereotypes about Asian people,” said the state. The report of the Global Times said.

However, although the ad has since been removed, many have also commented on how it would be if it were to make a mountain of mogura hills.

This isn’t the first time a brand has had to face online anger to blame advertising in a so-called racist tone. Brands such as Dolce & Gabbana and Hennes & Mauritz are also targets of what is called consumer nationalism in China. Gucci was also targeted by one of the campaigns in which the model was believed to have an unorthodox composition.

Mercedes also had to deal with considerable criticism in 2018 for the ad quoted from the Dalai Lama. And while this was a political controversy rather than a racist tone issue, the German brand had to apologize at the time.

China is an important market for brands across the segment, and the potential for high sales means that companies rarely want to challenge anger among the general public.

https://auto.hindustantimes.com/auto/news/mercedes-faces-social-media-backlash-in-china-over-racist-advertisement-41640923619784.html Mercedes faces social media backlash in China over “racist” advertising

 

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