A controversiële TV commercial of the German Do-it-Yourself concern Hornbach, has led to an outrage in Asia. In the commercial we can see two unhandsome men, geting all sweaty while working in the garden. Then their clothes are packed and shipped to Asia, where they can be bought from a vending machine to ‘smell spring’.
The ad is obviously a big reference to the vending machines in Japan that are used to sell girls’ panties. Perhaps at Hornbach they thought that it would only be a small step for Japanese women to pay to smell sweaty Western men?
Ever since the ad was aired on Duct and Geran TV, Hornbach was criticized. The commercial is said to be stereotyping and demeaning towards Asian women. The ad led to the hashtag #Ich_wurde_gehornbacht (I have been Hornbached) by Asian-German women, wo have to deal with prejudice in the field of alleged sexual subservient roles towards white men.
Despite of the criticism, Hornbach didn’t take down the video. Instead, they publicly defended themselves by claiming the ad is not racist and they use non-Asian women in similar commercials. The company says they take the reactions seriously and feel bad when people are hurt or angered by their video.
In South Korea, where the MeToo movement is on the rise, the commercial has led to great anger. And in Japan, the message was picked up by the right wing news site Itai News.
Marc van Lier
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