Mercedes ax ad in front of the model’s eyes after the Chinese reaction Business and Economics

The German automaker is the latest major company to notice the warmth of consumer nationalism in China.

Mercedes-Benz removed a video ad from a Chinese social media website after state media reported that the clip was included in a heated national debate over representations of Asian-style features by foreign companies.

The video was released on Saturday in Mercedes-Benz’s official Weibo account and was later removed as a result of public reaction, according to the Communist Party’s Global Times newspaper.

“The makeup of the female model seemed like a bad eye and once again sparked heated debate among network members, with many blaming the makeup for reflecting Western stereotypes about Asian people,” the newspaper said on Tuesday.

The report included a screenshot of a video showing a woman apparently Chinese, although Bloomberg News did not see the full version of the ad. Martin Sauber and Juan Zhou, representatives of the Chinese press at Daimler AG, were not returned with emails and phone calls since Thursday morning.

This section turns Mercedes-Benz into the ultimate target of Chinese consumer nationalism that has been hit in the past. Dolce & Gabbana, Hennes & Mauritz and others. Last week, Chinese social media platforms exploded as Walmart Inc. stopped selling Xinjiang products at the nation’s Sam’s Club grocery stores in Asia. Christian Dior SE stopped using a photo of a model in November, saying state media was “staining Asian women.”

Chinese netizens have been discussing how to show the eyes of models in advertising lately. Three Squirrels Inc. The Chinese company recently apologized for ads that featured model Cai Niang Niang wearing makeup that highlighted her wrong eyes, the South China Morning Post reported.

The model responded to a similar Weibo service on Twitter: “With small eyes, am I not Chinese? I totally agree with patriotism. However, creating big problems from the usual issues has become a morbid obsession.”

Censors of the Communist Party

The Global Times, a nationalist tabloid, addressed the Gucci fashion brand in an article on a handbag on Wednesday night in an article about the appearance of a female model.

“Gucci was found to have an Asian-looking model with small eyes,‘ unconventional ’makeup, an oversized nose ring and a leather whip in her hand,” he said.

The article stated that the model could be seen in a photo on Gucci’s official Twitter account, only the hand holding the item could be seen on the company’s Weibo. Twitter is one of the foreign social media services blocked by the Communist Party censors of the government.

In 2018, Mercedes-Benz apologized for mentioning the Dalai Lama on Instagram, which was also criticized by the Global Times. The author added a quote from the Tibetan spiritual leader in a publication that showed an elegant model of luxury: “Look at the situation from all sides, and you will become more open.”

Daimler said last week that it would reduce its stake in Denza Electric Car Joint Venture with China’s BYD Auto Industry Co. after years of weak sales. BYD will own 90% of the business and own 10% of Daimler after a transfer of assets that the company plans to make in mid-2022, according to manufacturer Mercedes-Benz.

The joint venture was launched in March 2012. Its poor profitability has been a concern for Daimler for years, even as sales of its Mercedes luxury vehicles continued to rise in China.