Thai retailer apology for controversial Chinese New Year ad

[elzach]

So should Westerners feel offended when Chinese and other Asians try to look and behave like Westerners?? For starters: double eyelid surgery, 90% of weddings in western fashion (some even in Christian churches, believe it or not, in China), picking up the entire western culture...

Cultural hyper-sensitivity running amok.

[yourauntbob]

sorry, but i dont see the offensive part. this is another case where if anything white people should be offended. only a really insecure person would feel that way, but the world is filled with insecurity. a white woman that wants to look more Asian is offensive to Asians? Then I am offended by ALL the skin whiting products.

unfortunately, PC is spreading to all corners of the globe. no action is safe as EVERYTHING will offend SOMEONE!

[attrayant]

It seems as if many don't know what 'racist' actually means.

This.

Just because you, personally, aren't offended does not mean the ad isn't racist.

[ultimate weapon]

Velly solly.

It's so typical of farang to think this is no big deal but they were crying out racism and whining to the skies when a japanese commercial depicted one pilot with a long nose and blond hair

[teatree]

Not racist in my book.

Neither was the Japanese airline advert that had Japanese turning Caucasian (can still say Caucasian? Is that word non pc now?) with blond hair and long noses.

And especially non racist was the doughnut ad where the woman resembled a bit of dark chocolate.

The doughnut ad was way more racist than the way you portray it, but then again why do I think you already knew that?

Why? If you are going to make a statement like that at least say why.

What about clowns with painted white faces and ginger wigs. Are they racist?

Did you watch the advert? Did you see the contempt and horror they associated with dark skin in order to make point that 'but this doughnut is ok"? Not the posters, the ad? Did you?

I saw one where the Thai model ate a doughnut, there was an explosion of dark paint and she turned charcoal colour, with the voiceover saying something like this doughnut is like no other.

If you send me a link to other one you were talking about I would like to see it.

Are you so shocked and appalled by the racist clown outfits?

[Redux7]

image.jpg

No sure in what context that was posted. As a relative comparison or a diminutive response to the outrage. I'm black and also find that ad repulsive. CAN should have had better judgement.

Sent from my C6603 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[smileydude]

What offends some may not offend others.

Problem is in these days of political correctness multiplied with the power of the internet things can be easily blown out of proportion.

[ultimate weapon]

I'm a Chinese. I saw that ad in Central. I don't think that involves racism etc. In fact, I felt quite amused when I saw that.

PS: Most people in North and West have slant eyes, like the clay soldiers in Xi An. People in East and South don't have much slant eyes. Some people in south China look more like Thais...

the worst thing is they won't care and just stereotype all chinese as slant eyes.

[Bluespunk]

Why? If you are going to make a statement like that at least say why.

What about clowns with painted white faces and ginger wigs. Are they racist?

Did you watch the advert? Did you see the contempt and horror they associated with dark skin in order to make point that 'but this doughnut is ok"? Not the posters, the ad? Did you?

I saw one where the Thai model ate a doughnut, there was an explosion of dark paint and she turned charcoal colour, with the voiceover saying something like this doughnut is like no other.

If you send me a link to other one you were talking about I would like to see it.

Are you so shocked and appalled by the racist clown outfits?

I ignored the clown aspect of your post previously because it was an obviously trollish comment, with all the intellectual content of a rock unable to grow lichen, I will maintain that stance.

You clearly have a vastly different attitude towards racism to me and life is too short to explain you why you are wrong.

I'm sure others have tried in the past.

Edited February 1, 2014 by Bluespunk

[wilcopops]

Clear that TV still contains a hardcore of members who have no idea what is or isn't racially offensive

[h90]

Another attack of the political correct mafia....I think no single normal Chinese feel insulted....

Nothing wrong with it.....

But well now we have also the Farangs feeling insulted for being called Farang.....The last 60 years it was no problem at all...now it is "racist".

[RtotheC]

Everything is racist nowadays. The Dunkin Donuts ad had nothing to do with the original blackface as Thai's have no idea what it is in the first place. The Chinese ad is just a kind of humour.

The question that needs to be asked is : Was it insulting anyone's race? The answer is no. They were just invoking humor in order to pitch a product. No where in the ad does it say Chinese people are bad.

[robert888d]

_{I remember years ago the Duke of Edinburgh got into hot water for talking about those'slitty eyed' people !}

[Bluespunk]

Another attack of the political correct mafia....I think no single normal Chinese feel insulted....

Nothing wrong with it.....

But well now we have also the Farangs feeling insulted for being called Farang.....The last 60 years it was no problem at all...now it is "racist".

I've been here 12 years and never liked it, but TIT and there doesn't seem to be any way of stopping people using the term when talking to me. Given up explaining it is a term I feel uncomfortable around.

[teatree]

Why? If you are going to make a statement like that at least say why.

What about clowns with painted white faces and ginger wigs. Are they racist?

Did you watch the advert? Did you see the contempt and horror they associated with dark skin in order to make point that 'but this doughnut is ok"? Not the posters, the ad? Did you?

I saw one where the Thai model ate a doughnut, there was an explosion of dark paint and she turned charcoal colour, with the voiceover saying something like this doughnut is like no other.

If you send me a link to other one you were talking about I would like to see it.

Are you so shocked and appalled by the racist clown outfits?

I ignored the clown aspect of your post previously because it was an obviously trollish comment, with all the intellectual content of a rock unable to grow lichen, I will maintain that stance.

You clearly have a vastly different attitude towards racism to me and life is too short to explain you why you are wrong.

I'm sure others have tried in the past.

So the rule is that it's racist to paint your face a colour that resembles someone's skin colour UNLESS that person happens to be white.

That is racist by definition.

Either the rule applies to all or to none.

You don't want to explain the logic of your argument because there is none.

[GeorgeO]

Thais are oblivious to international racial, discriminatory and/or religious sensitivities. The article mentions but a few Thai transgressions. Conspicuous by its absence are the numerous and pervasive incidents of Nazi and swastika cult and costuming in Thailand, the Hitler store, the children dressed as Nazis..etc.

...and yet they are super sensitive to an ad such as this which clearly has no ill intent...!

[peterquixote]

what a load of garbage sensitive Chinese crap

[jackr]

I think the Chinese would mostly take it in their stride. It is kind of typical coming from here, though. Wonder how the majority of Thais would react if a Laos mall maker had an ad comparing the similarity of Laos to Thai? Saying something like shop with us brothers and sisters, we're all of the same family and the rest of the world can't tell us apart.

[Jack Mountain]

http://history1900s.about.com/cs/swastika/a/swastikahistory.htm

Swastika means sawadee (heil) btw. Look it up ...

[jackr]

Secondly, Asian women's eyes are famously beautiful, considered by many to be the prettiest eyes of all.

For me, Asians have the best legs/bottoms. Eyes: Spanish, Brazil, India, any Eurasian.

[Bluespunk]

I ignored the clown aspect of your post previously because it was an obviously trollish comment, with all the intellectual content of a rock unable to grow lichen, I will maintain that stance.

I saw one where the Thai model ate a doughnut, there was an explosion of dark paint and she turned charcoal colour, with the voiceover saying something like this doughnut is like no other.

If you send me a link to other one you were talking about I would like to see it.

Are you so shocked and appalled by the racist clown outfits?

You clearly have a vastly different attitude towards racism to me and life is too short to explain you why you are wrong.

I'm sure others have tried in the past.

So the rule is that it's racist to paint your face a colour that resembles someone's skin colour UNLESS that person happens to be white.

That is racist by definition.

Either the rule applies to all or to none.

You don't want to explain the logic of your argument because there is none.

Man, a clown fixation, OK. Last from me on this as we are now way off topic

Read carefully, digest, learn:

White-face clowns go back to Greek theater when white-face was used to make all actors faces more distinctive from the backgrounds of the acts and to highlight expressions, etc.

Clowns working in large arenas and mimes have kept the white-face tradition because it makes them an 'every man' and allows for greater facial expression.

Whiteface clowns also lay homage to Joseph Grimaldi, a world-famous clown/actor from the 1800's in Europe, who defined the role and costume of 'neat whiteface' clowns ever since (kind of like Bozo has set the mold for 'comic white faces').

Happy now!

[MMarlow]

I wish some of the horses I back were as fast as some people are to take offence. I don't see it as racist, but as humourous. Real racism is ugly.

Marc Marquez (Factory Honda MotoGP pilot) used the following artwork for his helmet and promos at this years Japanese Grand Prix. Japanese didn't seem to regard it as racist...

They're not Thai.

[schondie]

Please Thailand, don't become politically correct like the west. Half the fun of living here is that Thais make fun of everyone, including themselves, and everything.

It'll be a sad day when you feel constrained to voice an opinion that could be construed as racist or sexist.

[SunsetT]

I think the Ad is quite clever but personally dont find the model attractive. Maybe they tried to be too clever in also choosing an androgenous look which older more conventional thinking Chinese might find disturbing, even offensive. Perhaps if the 'Chinese' side of the face had been more traditionally female and beautiful it would have met with more approval.

Any Chinese Thais out there care to comment?

[hanno]

I can think of quite a few recent ads in the Western world that had to be pulled because of PC, but never let facts get in the way of some Thai bashing....

[DrTuner]

here we go - Let's face it - since Dr. Seri said on stage and on TV (Blue Sky that is) that yellow skinned people are smarter than white skinned people there is a huge demand now not only for "yellowing" products - but now white women in Thailand are "pulling there eyes" in adds to look Asian because they want to be seen as smart!

Thailand already has a yellowing product in widespread use. It's called Lao Khao, affects the eyeballs first. Probably more healthy than the whitening toxins, though.

The ad was boring, I think. Ugly model, too. Next!

[attrayant]

Nicole Kidman got her eyes done to look more Asian. Unless it was a mistake?

Can you provide a cite supporting your claim that (1) she has had cosmetic surgery* and (2) that "to look more Asian" was her stated reason for having it?

*I assume that's what you meant by "got her eyes done".

[Jack Mountain]

Please Thailand, don't become politically correct like the west. Half the fun of living here is that Thais make fun of everyone, including themselves, and everything.

It'll be a sad day when you feel constrained to voice an opinion that could be construed as racist or sexist.

Besides that, the West lost in the last decades the credibilty to try be the moral compass of the world ...

[AleG]

I am very race blind, as in I don't give a flying eff what people look like and instead focus on what they do and think irrespective of ethnic phenotypes.

So, could someone explain to me, precisely, how is this ad racist and worthy of so much scorn?

[Carrerakiss]

I'm Singaporean. My country practices true multi culturism, not just superficial lip service.

I find the ad interesting. Those of Asian descent are no longer beholden to a superior white race. We know who we are, what we are and are proud of it. We don't want to be Western, we want to be modern Asians. Seeing a white women mimicking an Asian physical characteristic and relating it to an Asian cultural festival is interesting to see, and rather clever. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, or so they say.

I mean, <deleted>, do people think Asians don't know that their eyes are a different shape to Caucasians? So what, what's to be ashamed of, or be sensitive about? It's a fact and is only a sleight if for some reason you are ashamed of who you are.