Is this laundry detergent ad truly racist?

The advert, which shows a black man being pushed into a washing machine and emerging later as a light-skinned Asian man, has been labelled racist and offensive. It has drawn over 1-million views on YouTube.

Although the company responsible for the ad has issued an apology, it has however accused international media of being “too sensitive” and explained that it only started receiving negative response when international media got hold of it, USA Today reported.

The laundry company said in a statement: “We regret that our advertisement led to controversy and have no intention of shirking our responsibility. The advertisement and the surrounding controversy have hurt those of African descent, and because of this we would like to apologize. We hope that Chinese brands will continue to find success in international markets."

This morning, Bridget asks: was the laundry detergent advert truly racially charged or was it a case of ignorance from the brand's perspective?

“Having been to Beijing and Shanghai, I know first-hand that the vast majority of Chinese in mainland China are not really exposed to Africans of a darker shade and we draw much curiosity, but it has never seemed to be malicious. So I can’t say for sure that the ad was genuinely done from a point of racism or it’s just a case of ignorance from the brand's perspective?” Bridget said.

The company itself said race never crossed its mind when creating the advert. “We meant nothing but to promote the product, and we had never thought about the issue of racism,” a spokesman told the Global Times.

What are your thoughts? Share with Bridget.