Dunkin' Donuts issued an apology for a "bizarre and racist" ad campaign in Thailand, featuring a woman in blackface makeup to promote a new chocolate flavored doughnut.
The fast food franchise is being criticized by human rights groups who are calling the ad insensitive and are asking the Dunkin' Donuts franchise in Thailand to pull the ad for new charcoal donut.
According to the New York Daily News, the Dunkin' Donuts ad on a train in Bangkok showed a smiling woman with bright pink lips in blackface makeup, and a jet black 1950s-style beehive is holding a doughnut.
According to the Daily News, the slogan in Thai reads: "Break every rule of deliciousness."
Critics say the image is reminiscent of 19th and early 20th century American stereotypes for black people that are now considered offensive symbols of a racist era. The ad first launched earlier this month.
The New York-based Human Rights Watch said it was shocked to see an American brand name running an advertising campaign that would draw "howls of outrage" if released in the United States, According to FOX News.
"It's both bizarre and racist that Dunkin' Donuts thinks that it must color a woman's skin black and accentuate her lips with bright pink lipstick to sell a chocolate doughnut," said Phil Robertson, the deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch, According to FOX News. "Dunkin' Donuts should immediately withdraw this ad, publicly apologize to those it's offended and ensure this never happens again."
According to the New York Daily News, the company's chief executive in Thailand defended the campaign, but the U.S. headquarters quickly followed up with an apology.
"We are working with our Thailand franchisee to immediately pull the ad. DD recognizes the insensitivity of this spot," Dunkin' Donuts said on their official U.S. website after complaints erupted on Twitter, according to FOX.
Hours before the apology was issued, the CEO for Dunkin' Donuts in Thailand dismissed the criticism as "paranoid American thinking," the Daily News reported.
"It's absolutely ridiculous," CEO Nadim Salhani said. "We're not allowed to use black to promote our doughnuts? I don't get it. What's the big fuss? What if the product was white and I painted someone white, would that be racist?"
According to the Daily News, the Thai franchise operates independently of the American operation. Salhani said since the ad launched, two weeks ago, doughnut sales have increased about 50 percent. There is no actually proof in Salhani numbers.
"I'm sorry, but this is a marketing campaign, and it's working very well for us," Salhani said.
