A recent ad by Swatch sparked widespread backlash in China after being deemed racist, with many online users calling for a boycott of the Swiss watch maker. The ad in question featured a model pulling back the corners of his eyes, which critics have said evokes a racist “slanted eye” gesture. Although the retailer eventually withdrew the ad and issued a statement of apology, shares of the Swatch Group dropped up to 4%, deepening problems for the company within the region. The question is: Why did it do it? Some experts say it was no mistake. “I am surprised that Swatch did not have other types of references, and most importantly, did any pre-testing before launching this ad, because it would have been very easy for them to find that there were some cultural values that were disrespected in the way they were depicting the information,” Ana Valenzuela, professor of marketing in the department of marketing and international business at Baruch College, told Retail Brew. Wendy Zajack, faculty director and associate professor at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, went a step further, saying that the primary goal of the ad was “getting attention,” which is in line with what many brands have been doing recently. “Brands are trying to spark conversations and are trying to stand out with things that are going to draw attention and have conversation about,” she said. “It was an attention-seeking ad, knowing that there would be controversy around it.” Keep reading here.—JS | 
