The encyclopedia · Advertising & PR · Marketing decision · 2018
Lancôme ran a China campaign built on a Western idea of Asian beauty — and pulled it
A 2018 Lancôme ad featuring a white model with digitally widened eyes sparked a racism backlash in China. The campaign was pulled within days.
Lancôme · L'Oréal · 2018
What happened
Lancôme, L'Oréal's premium beauty brand, released a campaign in China in 2018 featuring a white model whose eyes appeared to have been digitally widened to look more 'Asian.' The ad was immediately condemned as racially insensitive, with Chinese consumers accusing the brand of mocking Asian features.
The backlash was amplified by social media, where the campaign was compared to historical racist caricatures. Chinese consumers called for a boycott, and beauty bloggers and KOLs criticized the brand publicly. Lancôme pulled the campaign within days and issued an apology.
Why it happened
- The ad featured a white model with digitally widened eyes, perceived as mocking Asian features.
- Chinese consumers and KOLs condemned the campaign as racially insensitive.
- The backlash was amplified by social media, collapsing the crisis timeline to hours.
- Lancôme pulled the campaign and apologized, but the brand damage was done.
The lesson
A creative process that only reviews work in its home market ships imagery the target market reads differently. Approve local campaigns locally, before the buy.
Aftermath
Lancôme pulled the campaign and issued an apology. The case prompted L'Oréal and other global beauty companies to strengthen their cultural review processes for Asian markets. It is cited alongside D&G and H&M as an example of cross-cultural marketing failure in China.
Sources
- Lancôme — Wikipedia (brand history, controversies)
- What are the Biggest Challenges of B2C Brands in China in 2023? (Lancôme / slanted-eye stereotype campaigns)
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