Racial sensitivity urged as ad causes outrage, Chinese company offers apology

Lei­shang Cosmetics expresses regret over commercial showing black man emerging as "clean" Asian, but blames others for "outsized" reaction

The Chinese firm behind a detergent commercial featuring a black man crammed into a washing machine who emerges as a light-skinned Asian has apologised after the commercial went viral overseas and was held up as an example of Chinese prejudices.

However, some internet users said the apology lacked sincerity because it placed some of the blame on internet users and the media which had “read too much into” into the ad.

The commercial for Qiaobi laundry detergent shows a black man whistling and winking at a young Chinese woman, who calls him over, puts a detergent packet into his mouth and forces him head first into a washing machine.

A black man and a young Chinese woman are flirting, as he leans in for a kiss she thrusts a detergent capsule in his mouth and bundles him into a laundry machine. Photo: China Daily

She sits on the lid while the man shrieks. Moments later a light-skinned Asian man emerges in clean clothes, and the woman grins, apparently pleased with the change. The commercial was posted on YouTube, where it drew the notice of Western media and commentators last week.

She sits atop the machine as the man spins inside until out pops a handsome Chinese man dressed in a clean, white t-shirt. Photo: China Daily

The company behind the detergent, Shanghai-based Lei­shang Cosmetics, issued a statement on its Weibo account late on Saturday night. The firm “had no intention to discriminate against people of colour”, and skin colour was not a “criteria for value judgment”, it said, adding the company strongly condemned and ­rejected racism.

Li Jun, vice-president in charge of the Qiaobi brand, said on Sunday: "The creative idea for the commercial was to add some comic drama by using artistic exaggeration. There was no intention of racial discrimination, and we didn't realize initially that it might lead to viewers getting the wrong impression.

"But we will take responsibility for any potential discomfort caused by it and apologize to those who may feel offended."

The company behind the detergent, Shanghai-based Lei­shang Cosmetics, said it had pulled the advert and people should not continue to promote the video. Photo: SCMP

“We express regret for the controversy caused by the advert’s contents, (and we) absolutely will not pass the buck. We’ve terminated the placement of the controversial advert and deleted some online video links. (We) hope that internet users who are exaggerating the issue and the media will no longer disseminate them,” it said.

“Due to the spread of the advert and overdrawn public opinion, harm has been done to people of African descent. We apologise and sincerely hope that the large number of internet users and the media do not read too much” into the content, it said.

But some members of the public said the company was wrong to claim the criticism was exaggerated.

“According to what standards have you come to the conclusion that public opinion had been ‘overdrawn’? What do you even mean by ‘overdrawn’?” one internet user commented.

A company spokesman told Global Times on the weekend that “the foreign media might be too sensitive about the ad”.

Other internet users also pointed out the similarity of the advert to another commercial, also for laundry, that ran in Italy years ago. It showed a skinny white man turning into a fit black man, touting the slogan “coloured is better”. “Why don’t you admit that you’ve plagiarised?” one commenter said beneath the statement.

“It is not only racist, but also completely plagiarised. It has really made our countrymen lose face,” another said.

Legal experts have called for more education and stricter law enforcement to increase awareness of racial sensitivity after the release of an advertisement that caused outrage on social media.

Shanghai-based Leishang Cosmetics, which owns the brand, has halted distribution of the ad, which was shown on social media and in some movie theaters in China.

On Chinese micro-blogging platform Sino Weibo, the news hashtag #controversy caused by laundry detergent# attracted nearly 3 million views, with many netizens leaving critical comments.

A user surnamed Chujianbaoji said: "The racial discrimination here couldn't be more obvious. The idea of washing a person in a washing machine is reckless."

Liu Junhai, a professor of civil and commercial law at Renmin University of China, said the commercial reflects the lack of public awareness about racial issues in China.

"Chinese brands should stay alert because of fast-spreading social media," Liu said, adding that sensitivity about racial issues among advertisers and the public in China is not as high as in Western countries.

"The authorities should strengthen awareness through education and supervision of the advertising industry as well as punishing cases of discrimination," he said.

According to China's Advertisement Law, which was updated last year, any content containing or implying national, racial, religious and gender discrimination is prohibited in adverts, and incurs penalties.

(SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST/CHINA DAILY)