Following backlash criticizing an Apple ad’s outdated and stereotyped portrayal of Thailand, Apple has removed it and issued an apology. The negative attention follows Apple’s apology for the “Crush” iPad Pro ad and its removal from broadcasts in May after it attracted widespread criticism among the creative community.
“Thai people are deeply unhappy with the advertisement,” Thai lawmaker Sattra Sripan said in a statement reported by Bloomberg. “I encourage Thai people to stop using Apple products and change to other brands.”
The 10-minute ad, titled “OOO (Out of Office),” was the latest in Apple’s The Underdogs comedy series depicting a recurring cast of coworkers as they use Apple products to resolve issues within their workplace.
The ad debuted in mid-July and featured the Underdogs team navigating around Thailand on a quest to find a new packaging factory. Thai citizens, lawmakers, and influencers criticized the video’s use of sepia filters and depiction of an airport, transportation, clothing, and hotels for misrepresenting the country as being underdeveloped.
“Our intent was to celebrate the country’s optimism and culture, and we apologize for not fully capturing the vibrancy of Thailand today,” Apple said in a statement on Friday. “The film is no longer being aired.” Apple says it collaborated with a local production company in Thailand to create the video, according to 9to5Mac. The ad has since been removed from Apple’s YouTube channels, though the full version can still be viewed in this report by Campaign.
Thailand’s prime minister, Srettha Thavisin, who had previously promoted the ad, told reporters that there are two sides to every coin, reports local paper Thairath (translated). Asked by reporters if he was concerned “Apple might not want to invest in Thailand anymore because Thai people are against it and will turn to using Android more,” he said he was not.
While Apple’s iPad Pro “Crush” ad is still available to watch on Apple’s main YouTube channel, we can only find one of the five ads that were released in The Underdogs video series. We have asked Apple if additional videos have also been taken offline and will update if we hear back.