Thai retailer apology for controversial Chinese New Year ad

[glegolo]

"offensive to the Chinese communities", bullshit,, this is offensive to white people, meaning that chinese appereance is the only one

that counts.... Like everything else I guess..... Strange people...

Glegolo

[trajan]

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.

oh, you mean like UK's Prince Harry who dressed up in Nazi uniform for a party?

[Thai at Heart]

That is an overstatement. A few of them do rise. Certainly not all. They do not have any magic traits othen than hard work, and nobody gets rich with just hard work. Even if this was the case, we in our countries are the ones that would have contributed to their rise, by allowing them to settle in, by not pursuing their common tax avoidance, by providing with infrastructure and an education system they are not paying for. Eventually, 50 years later, it all gets even, but let us not forget the origins

Take a trip to the Philippines. The Chinese, especially those who have been there a couple of generations, have very profitable businesses. They are, most often, very shrewd businessmen and perform quite well in business, in just about any country in the world.

What do you mean take a trip.

75% of the wealth of thailand is in thai Chinese hands.

Here they have very profitable businesses too. They have influenced generations of governments to maintain restricted industries because apparently Thailand isn't ready to compete yet. Ahhhh diddums.

Did you realise foreigners aren't allowed a photo developing business in thailand?

[Jonmarleesco]

Well at least Central were quick to react, and did issue a humbling apology, which is more than one tends to expect from Thai retailers. But the number of gaffes also behoves the Thais to think twice about their approach to their own cultural sensitivities.

That said, perhaps some advertisers, such as Dunkin' Donuts, should consider how many other people view an advert in the same way as one single, unrepresentative, entity, before deciding whether or not to pull it. Too many groups are all too ready to attach the label 'racist' to the most innocuous thing at the drop of a hat.

[ginjag]

That is an overstatement. A few of them do rise. Certainly not all. They do not have any magic traits othen than hard work, and nobody gets rich with just hard work. Even if this was the case, we in our countries are the ones that would have contributed to their rise, by allowing them to settle in, by not pursuing their common tax avoidance, by providing with infrastructure and an education system they are not paying for. Eventually, 50 years later, it all gets even, but let us not forget the origins

Take a trip to the Philippines. The Chinese, especially those who have been there a couple of generations, have very profitable businesses. They are, most often, very shrewd businessmen and perform quite well in business, in just about any country in the world.

What do you mean take a trip.

75% of the wealth of thailand is in thai Chinese hands.

Here they have very profitable businesses too. They have influenced generations of governments to maintain restricted industries because apparently Thailand isn't ready to compete yet. Ahhhh diddums.

Did you realise foreigners aren't allowed a photo developing business in thailand?

Anyone that want's a business go to Jomptien, look around can you find a mobile phone shop ??? if the Chinese were so business minded, why havn't they opened one to have then the monopoly in the vast city (well as good as).

[Greer]

Hang on a sec - most Thai people are obviously "Asian looking" - including my kids - and so why would an advert made in Asia by Asians talking about an obvious feature of an Asian person, be seen as racist? So the complaints are primarily by the idiotic PC crew again right?

As someone else said, as farang, many of us have round blue eyes - if anyone points that out to me, I don't immediately say "RACIST", I realise that's what I look like... so what!?

So let me reiterate - How the hell can an Asian pointing out an Asian facial feature be called racist?

This is idiotic.

[Jonmarleesco]

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.

Just because you personally are offended doesn't mean the ad is racist.

So, how many people have to be offended before it is racist? Didn't realize it was a numbers game, thought being racist was all about having a derogatory view of people based purely upon their nationality / skin color.

Seems to me this ad could be interpreted badly, it seems a lot of people agree with that from the posts here. If you are not offended, good for you but I think it is offensive. It was a stupid ad and the advertising agency should have known better.

And that derogatory view is invariably not objective, but subjective.

[Gil]

A perfect poster for marketing headache pills (in Dubai). outch!

I know of a Thai retailer manager who will need some aspirins anyway...

But let's be fair here: she just has a huge headache.

Edited February 1, 2014 by Gil

[Robininbkk]

The ad chief Mr Somchai of this advertisement company must have thought ''Lets just use a farang, doing the racist gesture, so that we Thai can't be blamed 5555555'' .... can't fault thai logic.

On a personal note, I do find this ad very offensive and racist. It doesn't resemble Chinese eyes at all. It looks more like a retarded girl having a headache or something.

[Dogmatix]

CPN apologizes, pulls 'controversial' Chinese New Year ad

By Coconuts Bangkok

BANGKOK: -- Time to screen-capture that questionable Chinese New Year ad from Central Pattana and archive it in your library of poorly considered marketing campaigns.

The giant mall management company this evening apologized for an advertisement some deemed racially insensitive and said it would be removed from circulation.

"We would like to make our heartfelt apology on this issue," said CPN spokesman Sakorn Thavisin in a statement. "We are extremely sorry for the lack of judgment in this issue as we did not realize that the gesture of the model in the advertisement would be offensive to the Chinese communities." [read more...]

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2014/01/31/cpn-apologizes-pulls-chinese-new-year-ad

-- Coconuts Bangkok 2014-02-01

Hilarious that such a high profile company could make such an obvious snaffu as this.

Personally I find it insulting to just about everyone.

It is insulting to Caucasians to imply that they readily make fun of Chinese like this.

It's insulting to Chinese.

It's particularly insulting to Thai Thais because it implies that it is not good to be a real Thai - only a Chinese Thai.

Great job Central. Maybe that's the difference between a family firm and a professionally management company.

Edited February 1, 2014 by Dogmatix

[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.

Blimey, you need to get with the times. China is growing up fast and ceases to oppress people like it used to.

It's become a leading country in the world today and from my days working there, and in my opinion it gets better all the time. Christian weddings are nothing to do with Chinese people "copying" the Western traditions of marriage, it is because they are embracing Christianity and it's growing fast,, see attachment.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/01/20/christianity-china/

"ceases to oppress people like it used to."...good joke, but really bad one for the ones being oppressed.

"they are embracing Christianity"...they are embracing western culture, for the most part they don't give a hoot about religion.

Source: I lived in China.....you, besides reading about China, have you stayed there for more than a few days??

[Beetlejuice]

Why are white people so ignorant of other cultures. Don't they (we!) know Thais and Chinese aren't burdened by a racism fixation?

They are bothered when these sorts of images are depicting people from South East Asia, but couldn`t give a rat`s behind if it concerns images of Nazi symbols or Adolf Hitler.

Funny how even the worm will turn when the jack boot`s on the other foot.

[Robininbkk]

aren't we becoming too dam_n sensitive? We allow the Chinese to live in all our countries, because they do not like staying put in their own place, they come, installl themselves, isolate themselves and start creating communities where they do not even speak the local language, we have to support them with our taxes, and then we are not allowed to make a joke about them? In our own country? Give me a break!!!

Below is a picture taken as a joke by the Spanish basketball team before their match againts China. Racist? I do not think so. Funny? Hell yeah

1218569787639basketgrandedn.jpg

Racist? nope. Funny? Yes very funny indeed. As well as stupid, childish and showing off their level of IQ.

[Thai at Heart]

aren't we becoming too dam_n sensitive? We allow the Chinese to live in all our countries, because they do not like staying put in their own place, they come, installl themselves, isolate themselves and start creating communities where they do not even speak the local language, we have to support them with our taxes, and then we are not allowed to make a joke about them? In our own country? Give me a break!!!

Below is a picture taken as a joke by the Spanish basketball team before their match againts China. Racist? I do not think so. Funny? Hell yeah

1218569787639basketgrandedn.jpg

Racist? nope. Funny? Yes very funny indeed. As well as stupid, childish and showing off their level of IQ.

Isn't that the sort of thing that 5 year old do?

[VINCENT2012]

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.

I agree with that. i think all this aristocratie ordering publicity for their BIG business saw this picture before it as been printed , they saw the design before, they did agreed to go for it... this picture can be taken depending on what you think at that moment, i dont think it is even a good photo to me or a good slogan to represent the new chinese year....BUT ANYWAY ... RACIST...i don't see wy (If this would have been made in usa or europe ..then perhpas? but we are in asia and they all look like this, so where is the problem?)..........but .... swastika cult, tatoos,Nazi flags and costuming in Thailand,i have also seen many around and that's to me, it is pur racism absolutly abject and disgusting that should really schock all of them instead.

HOW CAN thisTHAI GOVERNMENT and others before ACCEPT AND TOLERATE SUCH A THING LIKE THAT IN THEIR OWN STREET ?

good day and good night

[Pattaya28]

""It's Good To Chinese""

What does this actually mean ??

Is it licking the Chinese peoples bums ?

Does it mean Chinese people are better than Japanese people ?

Is it giving Chinese people the confidence they are better than Thais ?

What does this meaningless slogan mean ??

[Gandtee]

Ah,so!! Racist??

[soalbundy]

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.

Just because you personally are offended doesn't mean the ad is racist.

I couldn't give a flying fart if its racist,just as long as its funny

[soalbundy]

You've got to hand it to the Chinese though,they are born spitter's, they can cover the top of your toe cap with phlegm from 5 meters against the wind, they will probably turn it into an Olympic discipline given enough time ( and sufficient phlegm )

[348GTS]

The ad is not racist... it is just a clever/original/unusual idea playing on the hype surrounding Chinese New Year, nothing more.

The point here is that some people (particularly left wing bleeding heart do gooders of UK origin) seem to find "racism" in everything where none exists. And take it upon themselves to be crusaders for a majority that doesn't share their views These PC types seem to have redefined what racism is. Highlighting a factual difference between races/cultures/nationalities is not racism for gods sake. True racism is when there is negative discrimination involved - ie, black people can't ride in this train for no other reason than they are black, or you can't have this job because you are white. Yes I said white. The PC brigade have gone mad and label anything that highlights differences between people as racist. Ridiculous.

You don't have to like the ad, and you can choose to be offended by it all you want, afterall you can't please everyone all of the time. So don't shop there then. But that doesn't suddenly make the ad racist because you deem it so. Get over yourselves.

[ThiravetPramuanratkarn]

I guess we cannot get this case explained in terms of racial conflict in general. Probably, this is a classic case of what Chinese in Thailand have been characterized as possessing a double identity. That is, it is simply an intimidation among Chinese descendants actually becoming Thais themselves, but in different degrees of cultural acculturation. The problem occurs when one has more awareness of ethnic identity more than the other who still enjoys the privilege of having more Thai characteristics.

[Thakkar]

One would have to be pretty ignorant of the history of racism against Chinese to think that most Chinese would not take offense at this ad. Whether it is racist or not may be arguable. There is however no denying that it is highly insensitive and outright rude.

T

[tromboneman]

Which advertising agency came up with this?

Did no one think it might possibly be the tiniest bit racist? Not even one tiny smidge.

You lost them at "think"

[Yunla]

You are about as far out as Pluto on your thinking. The Asian market use Western models for one! Number 2 who told you Asian eyes are famously beautiful? considered by many!!! like who said this?, people in the west? I have just picked out your quotes below that proves you are a self opinionated, and more to the point a self righteous thinker. The advert is clever and could be seen as offensive to western people, if your head is up your ass of course!!!!

West has used white actors to play historical characters of other races.

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

The model in the photo just looks ugly when she stretches her face like that.

It bears no similarity to the beauty of Asian eyes at all

Here's your toys back. Please try to keep them in the pram in future. If you keep throwing them around, you'll have somebody's eye out. No pun intended.

[SjaakNL2013]

Thai firms have stumbled into controversy over racism in the past..................

​Thai firms at least correct their racist behavior .. something you can t say from the Government.

[GAZZPA]

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

Totally agree. Saw this brand in a shop fairly recently, did a double take on it.

[soalbundy]

One would have to be pretty ignorant of the history of racism against Chinese to think that most Chinese would not take offense at this ad. Whether it is racist or not may be arguable. There is however no denying that it is highly insensitive and outright rude.

T

go to the top of the PC brigade. I deny that its insensitive, no its not rude. History of racism against the Chinese?????? can't remember that one,....opium wars or some thing like that maybe ? Do i care if a few Chinese feel insulted.........erm NO. But if you should know a few Chinese please tell them to stop spitting

[Thai at Heart]

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

Totally agree. Saw this brand in a shop fairly recently, did a double take on it.

There is one brand of clothing around in Central where the embroidered brand is identical the the stylised "ss",characters from the 2nd world war.

I would presume done in ignorance. I will look for the piccie

[soalbundy]

Which advertising agency came up with this?

Did no one think it might possibly be the tiniest bit racist? Not even one tiny smidge.

You lost them at "think"

lost me at "think" as well. "Its good to be Chinese" sounds balanced. They lost the opium wars though,serves them right

[GAZZPA]

The ad is not racist... it is just a clever/original/unusual idea playing on the hype surrounding Chinese New Year, nothing more.

The point here is that some people (particularly left wing bleeding heart do gooders of UK origin) seem to find "racism" in everything where none exists. And take it upon themselves to be crusaders for a majority that doesn't share their views These PC types seem to have redefined what racism is. Highlighting a factual difference between races/cultures/nationalities is not racism for gods sake. True racism is when there is negative discrimination involved - ie, black people can't ride in this train for no other reason than they are black, or you can't have this job because you are white. Yes I said white. The PC brigade have gone mad and label anything that highlights differences between people as racist. Ridiculous.

You don't have to like the ad, and you can choose to be offended by it all you want, afterall you can't please everyone all of the time. So don't shop there then. But that doesn't suddenly make the ad racist because you deem it so. Get over yourselves.

Racism is a sensitive topic. We all live in a multicultural society now where people are going to mix together.

What your ham fisted attitude clearly portrays to me is that you are about as sensitive as a brick when it comes to judging what might or might not offend someone.

This is not an easy thing to navigate and sometimes political correctness can go a bit too far. But I would rather see the odd PC misjudgment then going back to an acceptance of lack of respect and no real consideration.

Guess you would still want to buy the Gollywog jam? After all it was only a jar of jam so why get so worked up about it?

the 3 gollywogs.tiff