Burger King says it is 'truly sorry' for New Zealand advert showing customers eating a Vietnamese sweet chili sandwich with chopsticks
New Zealand's Burger King chain has removed and apologised for a controversial advert that was branded racist.
It sparked a heated debate after the commercial featured customers attempting to eat their burgers with chopsticks.
The video was promoting the new Vietnamese sweet chilli chicken sandwich - but the fast food chain has since removed the ad from social media following complaints of cultural insensitivity.
'Take your taste buds all the way to Ho Chi Ming City with our Vietnamese Sweet Chilli Tender crisp, part of our Tastes of the World range. Available for a limited time only,' Burger King previously said in its caption on Instagram.
But in a climbdown, Burger King have apologised for the advert.
James Woodbridge, Burger King New Zealand's general manager of marketing, told the New Zealand Herald: 'We are truly sorry that the ad has appeared insensitive to our community.
'We have removed it and it certainly does not reflect our brand values around diversity and inclusion.'
The seven-second ad resurfaced on Twitter after a Korean-New Zealander woman accused Burger King of racism for making fun of Asians.
'This is how Asians eat,' she wrote mockingly in a series of tweets, which has since gone viral.
'Orientalism is harmless fun... I'm so sick of racism. Of any kind. Of the kind that makes fun of different cultures #GiveNothingToRacism.'
New Zealand's Burger King chain has been accused of racism over an advert featuring customers attempting to eat their burger with chopsticks using two hands
New Zealand's Burger King chain has been accused of racism over an advert featuring customers attempting to eat their burger with chopsticks using two hands
The seven-second ad resurfaced on Twitter after a Korean-New Zealander woman slammed the promotion as 'racist' for making fun of Asians - and she also made a reference to the horrific Christchurch shooting at two mosques
The video, which was shared on Twitter on April 4, has since been viewed more than 2.7 million times - but has since divided the internet on whether or not it crossed the line.
One tweeted: 'This ad is the worst - get your f***ing ad department's s*** together.'
Another said: 'This ad just yelled 'ching chong' at me with its eyes pulled up and asked me if I eat dogs.'
Another said: 'LOL chopsticks amirite? [sic] Who the hell came up with this? There are a lot of Asian people in NZ, though they probably aren't getting their Vietnamese food from Burger King.'
And another said: 'What's worse, this ad or using chopsticks in your hair?'
The video was promoting the new Vietnamese sweet chilli chicken sandwich - but the fast food chain has since removed the ad from social media following complaints of cultural insensitivity
The video, which was shared on Twitter on April 4, has since been viewed more than 2.7 million times - but has since sparked debate whether or not it crossed the line
One Vietnamese man said he didn't find the video offensive - and saw the funny side to it
Despite the outrage, many said they didn't find the ad offensive or poking fun at race
Despite the outrage, many said they didn't find the ad offensive.
One said: 'I'm Vietnamese and I'm not offended. I thought it was pretty funny. Your generation needs to grow thicker skin and stop with this fake manufactured outrage.'
'The irony is that it's an ad making fun of white people who have no idea how to use chopsticks as if they're bumbling idiots which has become a stereotype for advertising media and entertainment media over the past 25 years,' one said.
Another tweeted: 'It's not racism. No one is making fun of a race. Fumbling chopsticks doesn't make it so. If it does, every time I use them poorly I'm racist. Get over yourself.'
One said: 'I'm so sick of ultra-sensitive, whine people who look to be offended by everything. Why can't we instead find humour in things as a means to bridge gaps in understanding? Comedians have been doing it for years. Get over it.'
And another said: 'Those red eyed PC police who spend endless hours staring at a screen, looking for something to be offended about makes me really doubt the future of humanity.'
