Current Events > Domino's Pizza apologizes for 'anything but Chinese' advert

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https://www.weareresonate.com/2021/01/dominos-pizza-offers-apology-for-anything-but-chinese-advert-racism/

Dominos Pizza has apologised for an advert that many had deemed to be racist. The advert, which was released in the UK, shows three women deciding what to order. One explicitly rules out Chinese food by saying anything but Chinese. Another suggests ordering from Madagascan Halloumi but pictures the ordeal she would go through in tracking the order. Commenters on the adverts YouTube clip called out the pizza company for singling out the Chinese. Wow okay so theres indirect racism- singling out the Chinese, the comment reads. YET trying to promote and fit the current BLM trend with only black people advertisement propaganda. Whoever made this advert needs the sack. Good job dominoes. On Twitter, many shared similar views. Resonate writer Vy-liam Ng wrote, Come on @Dominos_UK. I dont wanna be that guy but was singling us out really necessary when our community is facing an uptick of racism. Even if there was no ill will Its just tone deaf. Be better. I feel like if the character had expressed some sort of reason behind the line anything but Chinese i.e. not liking a certain dish, or being bored by the cuisine, then I might have been willing to look at it from different perspectives. But this reads as purely insensitive, another tweeted.

In a statement issued to Resonate, Dominos Pizza apologised for the advert. Weve been made aware of concerns regarding our Concrete Clare ad, the statement reads. We werent meaning to cause offence when it comes to Chinese cuisine or culture in any way. The ad was only trying to convey that moment weve all had when we just arent craving a certain food, even a takeaway favourite like Chinese. We should have done a better job of expressing this and would like to apologise to anyone who has been offended.



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so "anything but _______" was always going to be a problem for them in this situation i guess

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Wat

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chinese food is pretty dank! shame on them! smh

Rather have Chinese than dominos

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i think that in any other time i'd think this was stupid, but in a time where Chinese people are literally getting attacked due to ignorance and chinese restaurants are struggling in some places because of that...probably a little tone def to release this ad now.

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i was gonna be like "food preferences aren't racist" but

I dont wanna be that guy but was singling us out really necessary when our community is facing an uptick of racism. Even if there was no ill will Its just tone deaf.

that's a good point and i agree

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Advertising material trying to link Chinese food (and by association Chinese culture and people) to the corona virus is pretty gross. If it had been, say, "Anything but Mexican!" it would have been fine. At least to me. The context is what matters here.

It usually is.
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At least Chinese is actual food. Dominoes is cardboard.

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yeah, this idea that all chinese people are to blame for the pandemic is pretty fucking stupid.

DeadBankerDream posted...

Advertising material trying to link Chinese food (and by association Chinese culture and people) to the corona virus is pretty gross. If it had been, say, "Anything but Mexican!" it would have been fine. At least to me. The context is what matters here.

It usually is.

as a tex mexican, i would take offense to that

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DeadBankerDream posted...

Advertising material trying to link Chinese food (and by association Chinese culture and people) to the corona virus is pretty gross.

That's a Springfield Gorge sized leap there, my dude.

Yeah, I get what they meant to go for but uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh.

Yeah, not gonna come off well in an advert.

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really tho, dont they have someone at their marketing department capable of saying "hey guys, that's a shit idea"? lol

just change it to "anything but american" and truck on because you can't be racist against americans

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clicked topic thinking domino's tagline gonna be "we got everything but chinese food"

and it's just a line ina stupid commercial.

pretty minor, but pretty dumb line to write

The Trent posted...

just change it to "anything but american" and truck on because you can't be racist against americans

you know that's what...nevermind.

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even if it started with one of them suggesting chinese, and the other saying "Eh..nah not again" or something it would still get that point across and appear harmless...but the way she said it in the ad...how did no one in charge of this realize it lol.

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The Trent posted...

just change it to "anything but american" and truck on because you can't be racist against americans

Don't really get "American Take Away" in the UK, in the sense anyone would directly call it American Take Away.

Should have gone "Anything bit Fish and Chips" if they wanted a safe take away food to not want if they had to do one.

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At first I thought it was a stupid criticism, but then I agree with the reasoning that it is tone deaf in today's climate, even if no ill will was meant. I get what they were going for, and I think something like "Anything but Chinese, I had that the other day" would have conveyed that a lot better.

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Funkydog posted...

Don't really get "American Take Away" in the UK.

Should have gone "Anything bit Fish and Chips" if they wanted a safe take away food to not want if they had to do one.

American takeaway isn't a thing. Pizza is "American takeaway".

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Funkydog posted...

Don't really get "American Take Away" in the UK.

omg who delivers your corndogs

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Them apologizing is more offensive than the ad.

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VipaGTS posted...

American takeaway isn't a thing. Pizza is "American takeaway".

That's what I said, yes.

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Leanaunfurled posted...

t first I thought it was a stupid criticism

No it's still a stupid criticism

I might understand if it was the punchline but it;s just 1 throwaway line in a commercial.

Jesus Christ

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Funkydog posted...

That's what I said, yes.

you said "don't really get american takeaway in the uk"..i thought you were saying it doesn't exist there (whatever you might have thought it was)

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Fake outrage strikes again. Literally nothing wrong with the line.

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I seriously doubt they intended ill-will. We have all had food conversations where someone vetoes a genre of food for any reason. Hell I personally have used "Anything but Chinese" line myself (Chinese take-out can be a very tricky when you are a vegetarian due to the amount of animal broths used).

That said, I can see how in the current climate this could be interpreted poorly.

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VipaGTS posted...

you said "don't really get american takeaway in the uk"..i thought you were saying it doesn't exist there (whatever you might have thought it was)

Ah, yeah, I did edit my post to say we just don't call it "American Take Away" and just whatever food it is. So Dominoes, Pizza Hut etc.

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UnfairRepresent posted...

I might understand if it was the punchline but it;s just 1 throwaway line in a commercial.

And I mean...I do get that point of it. Any other time, it wouldn't be notable, I feel. And I don't think this little hubbub would be happening if it was "Anything but Mexican" or something, instead. But there is a racism target on Chinese people these days, though granted I don't know if it's similar in the UK or not. I get the impression the US is full of more assholes on average but I could be wrong, so it could come off different here vs there. If that's the case, it would also feel dumb to be bothered by a culture who largely don't hold the attitudes we have and the meaning isn't the same.

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Eventually, "HeadOn" will be the only permissible style of advertising.

Funkydog posted...

Ah, yeah, I did edit my post to say we just don't call it "American Take Away" and just whatever food it is. So Dominoes, Pizza Hut etc.

There are some "American Diners" here

But they don't really do take away.

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"I had Chinese for lunch, so that's out."

Their line is tonedeaf but not malicious. Probably.

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People are acting like snowflakes now. I used to only call right wingers snowflakes, but now.. this is fucking sad.

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Questionmarktarius posted...

Eventually, "HeadOn" will be the only permissible style of advertising.

my dream world

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The Trent posted...

my dream world

"Domino's Pizza, applied directly to the mouth hole! Domino's Pizza, applied directly to the mouth hole! Domino's Pizza, applied directly to the mouth hole! Domino's Pizza, applied directly to the mouth hole!"

Questionmarktarius posted...

Eventually, "HeadOn" will be the only permissible style of advertising.

Nope offensive to feet.

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Questionmarktarius posted...

Eventually, "HeadOn" will be the only permissible style of advertising.

Domino's Pizza, apply directly to your mouth!
Domino's Pizza, apply directly to your mouth!
Domino's Pizza, apply directly to your mouth!

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This is the most "looking for something to be offended by" I've seen in a long time

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They shouldn't have apologized, it wasn't even offensive.
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SolidShadow3 posted...

People are acting like snowflakes now. I used to only call right wingers snowflakes, but now.. this is fucking sad.

They've been acting like snowflakes for years.

Anything but the Prussians!

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This...really isnt worth getting bent out of shape over..like its literally nothing.

Sometimes I wish companies would just tell people to grow a pair.

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Hop103 posted...

They shouldn't have apologized, it wasn't even offensive.

no it wasn't. but it also probably wasn't best right now. there is nothing wrong with admitting that it might have been a mistake. i'll never understand why people get upset when others admit that they might have fucked up. people like you tend to make it a bigger deal than the people who complained...

Person: "wtf dominoes.....not cool right now"
Dominoes: "you know what, you right..we didn't consider that angle"
You: "WHY THEY APOLOGIZE!?"

Like...because they did. they were able to empathize (while also protecting their brand). its not a big deal lol. Any other time I'd agree with you, almost...but not a time where chinese people are looked at negatively and even thought this commercial was in the UK, its due to things like people saying "CHINA VIRUS"...blame those people.

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Dominoes should make all the SJW tears a sauce

So we cant be tired of Chinese (food) now?

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Solution_45 posted...

Dominoes should make all the SJW tears a sauce

You wouldn't put much on your pizza since the sodium would be 10x more than your average bottle of soy sauce.
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Well..... this seems like a nothing burger lol.
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I I didn't know I was being racist last week.

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