Swiss watch giant Swatch has been forced to pull an advert and issue an apology after a promotional image was accused of racism and triggered furious calls for a boycott in China.
The campaign featured an Asian male model tugging at the corners of his eyes, a gesture widely slammed online as a racist depiction.
Social media users in China branded the image offensive and demanded action against the brand.
On Saturday, the company said it had 'taken note' of the backlash in posts on Instagram and the Chinese platform Weibo, writing that it had scrapped the campaign worldwide.
'We sincerely apologise for any distress or misunderstanding this may have caused,' Swatch said.
