Why did Swatch’s latest ad spark backlash in China? Drama explained

Swatch has sparked backlash in China. Its latest ad, meant to catch your eye, ended up doing the opposite. It featured an Asian model lifting the corners of his eyes, a gesture widely seen as a racist stereotype. Social media reacted with outrage, and the watchmaker was quick to apologize and erase the campaign globally. Despite that, the backlash hasn't calmed down. Swatch is facing challenges in one of its key markets.

This backlash didn't happen in isolation. China makes up around 27% of Swatch Group's revenue. The company has already been under pressure there, with a slump in demand and softening consumer interest hitting numbers hard. This ad controversy added fuel to an already tough situation.

How a gesture sent Swatch’s latest ad into crisis

Swatch's new campaign, part of its “Essentials” line, featured an Asian male model pulling his eyelids back in what's known on Chinese social media as the “slanted eye” pose. That instantly triggered strong criticism across platforms like Weibo, where users called it racist and disrespectful.

Calls for a boycott were swift. One popular Weibo user with over a million followers accused the brand of “racism against Chinese,” calling for regulatory action. Others flat-out said this was more than a one-off misstep—it was deliberate.

In response, they acted fast. On Instagram and Weibo, the company posted apologies in both Chinese and English, saying it had “taken note of recent concerns.” The company further added that it had “immediately removed all related materials worldwide.”

Adding to the tension, their business in China has already been strained. Recent financials showed dropping sales: net sales slid around 11% in the first half of the year alone, with the decline “exclusively attributable” to weaker demand in China. And looking at 2024, revenue fell about 14.6% to CHF 6.74 billion, largely due to soft sales across China, Hong Kong, and Macau.

This isn't the first time a Western brand has stumbled here. Not long ago, Dior faced similar backlash for an ad with a model doing a similar eye gesture, and Dolce & Gabbana took flak back in 2018 for awkward chopstick promos. These incidents show how a single misstep can quickly go viral in China's digital culture.

Swatch's eyebrow-raising ad backfired, and it's now scrambling to salvage its reputation in a market that matters deeply. The swift takedown and apology were steps in the right direction, but in a climate already souring, many feel it's not enough. Rebuilding trust will take more than removing images; it will require genuine listening and mindful messaging.

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