Dunkin' Donuts Thailand recently started running ads for its "Charcoal Donut," which features a model wearing blackface makeup and bright pink lipstick and holding up a bitten doughnut. The translated Thai slogan reads: "Break every rule of deliciousness."
Phil Robertson, deputy director of the Asia division of Human Rights Watch, said it's "rather incredible that an international company like Dunkin' Donuts" would run such an ad.
In a phone interview with The Times, he said the ad "fits into a long history of racist advertisements in Southeast Asia."
The Associated Press said it's common in Thailand for marketing to feature racist undertones. A Thai skin whitening cream, for instance, is advertised in television commercials as boosting job prospects for those who use it. According to the AP, the commercials say white-skinned people have a better chance of landing a job than those with dark skin.
There's also a line of household mops and dust pans sold under the "Black Man" label. Product labeling features a smiling black man in a tuxedo and bow tie.
