Chinese won’t buy Jo Malone candles from John Boyega – Star Wars actor censored in ‘racist’ China
Do Chinese people living in China not buy scented candles from black people, like the actor John Boyega? The London-born star has resigned his role as “global ambassador” for scented candle-makers Jo Malone because he wasn’t a global ambassador at all. He was the face of melted wax in the UK and some other places but for Chinese consumers he was replaced in an ad he made for them called ‘London Gent’ by Chinese actor Liu Haoran.
The company has apologised for the “misstep”. Not an error, then? Surely this was a plan, the brand appealing to their target market, doing its best to shift product in China. Ads are usually products of market research. Did Jo Malone poll the Chinese and find they like Liu better than they do John? Do they rate Liu as the celeb more likely to deliver a full-nosed blast of candle fumes? Can we see the marketing reports and questions asked?
Boyega says Jo Malone was “wrong” to have used another actor “without my consent or prior notice”. Well, quite. What’s the point of hiring the Star Wars actor to be your global ambassador if you don’t employ him globally?
“We deeply apologise for what, on our end, was a mistake in the local execution of the John Boyega campaign,” says Joe Malone in a mealy-mouthed statement. Does it suppose Chinese consumers are racist against black people? And did it just use John Boyega to show us that it isn’t?
Posted: 15th, September 2020 | In: Celebrities, News Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
