Advertisements draw flak in China over Asian stereotypes

BEIJING (AP) — Advertisements featuring some Chinese models have sparked feuding in China over whether their appearance and makeup are perpetuating Asian stereotypes. German automaker Mercedes-Benz and a Chinese snack company are the latest to get caught up in the fray. Some Chinese consumers complained after the local snack brand Three Squirrels featured advertisements on its Weibo microblogging account showing a Chinese model with eyes they said looked “slanted.” A Mercedes ad drew similar criticism. Critics have accused the companies and others of spreading Western stereotypes of some Asians. The communist party newspaper Global Times said a response by the model in the Three Squirrels ad defending herself drew more than 330 million views.