Swiss watchmaker Swatch Group has withdrawn an advertising campaign and issued a public apology after images showed an Asian male model pulling the corners of his eyes into a “slanted eye” pose. The company said on Weibo and Instagram that it had removed “all related materials worldwide” and “sincerely apologised for any distress or misunderstanding,” following criticism that the gesture echoed racist taunts against people of Asian descent. The backlash on Chinese social media triggered calls for a boycott of Swatch and its sister brands, including Omega, Longines and Tissot. Swatch shares fell as much as 4 percent in Zurich trading on Monday before trimming losses to 3.1 percent by 14:20 GMT. China, Hong Kong and Macau accounted for roughly 27 percent of group sales last year, underscoring the importance of the market to the company. The episode adds to pressures on Swatch, whose revenue fell 14.6 percent in 2024 to 6.74 billion Swiss francs amid soft luxury demand in China and a 39 percent U.S. tariff on its exports. Analysts said the prompt apology might limit long-term damage, but the incident highlights the growing scrutiny global brands face over cultural sensitivity in their marketing.