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Racial Overtones Depicted in Chinese Laundry Detergent Commercial Causes Uproar

By Chika Dunu

Chika Dunu

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May 26, 2016Updated: May 26, 2016

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An advertisement for a Chinese laundry detergent brand has gone viral for its filthy racial overtones.

The Chinese laundry brand, Qiaobi converts a “dirty” Black man into an “clean” Asian man and has been “widely circulated on WeChat after appearing on television and before movies at Wanda Cinemas this month,” according to the U.K.’s Huffington Post.

The commercial begins with a paint-splattered Black man standing in the doorway of the home of an Asian woman, who is seen doing her laundry.

The man appears to catcall the woman, who is receptive to his advances as she flirtatiously calls him over. Just when he thinks he’s about to kiss her, she pops a Qiaobi detergent pod into his mouth.

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She then pushes him into a washing machine and sits atop the machine patiently waiting for the load to complete.

When the cycle finishes, an Asian man, in a clean white t-shirt, emerges from the washing machine. The woman is pleased with the ‘effectiveness’ of the laundry detergent.

According to Shanghaiist, “the video is actually a blatant ripoff (even using the exact same music and sound effects) of a series of Italian laundry detergent ads that were aired about 9 years ago.”

Those disgusted with the commercial took to social media to voice their displeasure.

omg I’ve never seen anything more racist. sheeeesh https://t.co/z5EhyhPHsv

— Liban Yousuf (@YousufLiban) May 26, 2016

WTF is this company on? Racist sht. Chinese detergent brand Qiaobi (俏比) ad https://t.co/CICFKGxZTv

— Ferrari Sheppard (@stopbeingfamous) May 26, 2016