General Motors announced it will pull a television commercial for its Chevrolet Trax after complaints that its background music promoted Asian stereotypes.
The soundtrack referred to a “land of Fu Manchu” China with people who say “ching, ching, chop suey,” BBC reported. The lyrics were part of a 1938 song, and the ad — which played in Canada and on Chevrolet European’s website — was nostalgic in nature, BBC said.
The ad is being reissued, absent objectionable lyrics, BBC reported.
GM spokeswoman Faye Roberts said the commercial brought about “negative feedback regarding the lyrics,” BBC reported. “Once the issue was called to our attention, GM immediately removed the offensive content. … It is never our intention to offend the audience.”
Earlier this week, PepsiCo pulled an online ad over complaints it was offensive. That ad depicted a white woman on crutches identifying her batterer from a line-up of black male suspects. One of the line-up suspects, portraying a goat character, threatened the woman to be silent and she finally fled, screaming “I can’t do this.” The “do” was intended as a play on the PepsiCo product, Mountain Dew, and its “Dew It” slogan.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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