Swiss watchmaker Swatch has pulled an advertising campaign and issued a public apology after images showing an Asian male model stretching the corners of his eyes drew accusations of racist stereotyping and triggered a wave of criticism on Chinese social media. The visuals, created to promote the Swatch Essentials collection, were widely shared online, with users denouncing the "slanted-eye" gesture as offensive and urging a boycott of Swatch and its sister brands. In statements posted in both Chinese and English on the Weibo and Instagram platforms, the company said it "sincerely apologises for any distress or misunderstanding" and confirmed it has removed all related materials worldwide. The row comes at a sensitive time for the group, which generates roughly 27 percent of its revenue from mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau. Swatch’s sales fell 14.6 percent last year to 6.74 billion Swiss francs (US$8.4 billion) amid weakening demand in the region, and the controversy risks further denting its position in one of its largest markets.