Comments on: Why is this still called “Black People Toothpaste” in Chinese?

By: nia

nia — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 22:54:22 +0000

Wow! Very interesting point of views…

So I am “coloured” considered black in most countries except my own country,South Africa. I am mixed race,black & white. I’ve experienced some racism in my 23 yrs,mostly from white Afrikaans people and coloured people,because I am not “coloured” enough-i just feel sorry for those racist people (products of their circumstances).

I grew up next door an amazing woman,who basically helped raise me,she was/is Chinese. She never treated me or my father (black) in any discriminating way at all and neither did her family,who could hardly speak English-fresh from mainland China.

BUT…
A lot of the Chinese people in South Africa own Chinese Resturants and massage parlors. A lot of my friends are black, we love Chinese food and eat at Chinese resturants often. We definately get treated very differently,negatively different from the white or the Chinese customers.
Also, a local radio dj,a white man-married to a black woman had a massage at a Chinese owned massage parlour,he enjoyed it so much he asked if he could send his wife there-and of course they were happy to have her. When the wife went,they wouldn’t let her in & said they don’t do her kind…racist! I can tell you similar stories regarding whites,blacks,indians & coloured people being racist.
Not all Chinese people are racist.IN FACT China were against the Apartheid Regime in S.A. in the 1940′s

I’ve experience racism from Chinese people,I have also experienced racism from white people for being black,from black people for being coloured & not “entirely” black,from coloured people and indian people too.

My point…its everywhere,every race & not one race is more racist than the other.

By: samuel welsh

samuel welsh — Mon, 09 May 2011 06:54:18 +0000

love black people hate is for idots

By: john

john — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 20:45:37 +0000

China needs to have Diversity classes for its population, to teach non racism and tolerance. Also there are Chinese people who are black and there are Chinese people who are of Indian background – they are all 100% Han Chinese since they were born in China and live there.

By: Owen Haacke

Owen Haacke — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 04:43:09 +0000

haha, I saw this stuff and thought it was quite unique. I made we website to sell it if anyone who used to live in Asia wants to get a tube of Black Man Toothpaste. I’m selling it on my site mybotai.com.

By: chinese

chinese — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 13:26:35 +0000

ive never thought about it this way. ive always thought, that the name should stress how bright and white the teeth are in contrast of black. i mean, a man on paper who is black (the colour black) not a dark man.

yeah, if you remember me of it, it is rassism, but i do not think that this is intentional, because for the most “blackman toothpaste” is just a name.

By: madsam

madsam — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 12:33:35 +0000

Darlie is sold all over asia, not just China.
formerly known as Darkie, it was produced by Hawley & Hazel(hardly a chinese sounding company) before been brought by Colgate.

By: Flower girl

Flower girl — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 17:47:11 +0000

I think that this toothpaste isn’t that racist as the toothpaste is named after how black people’s teeth are really white. In my opinion its a complement to be named after how white their teeth are

By: Jason

Jason — Sun, 09 May 2010 10:09:52 +0000

They didn’t change the Chinese name because the Chinese probably don’t consider that racist. They don’t call Black people “Africans” unless they’re from Africa. There isn’t a terminology like African-American etc. (not that I’m aware of). They call Black people Black, White people White and Asians are Oriental. Now, if they use the work Hai Guai (Literal translation: Black Ghost), then yes, that would be offensive as that is the same as calling a Nigxxr.

By: Barth

Barth — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 13:49:03 +0000

It’s just by chance that i ended up in this webside. I was trying to learn about Taiwannese people living in Africa and the Africans living in Taiwan. Myself, i’m living in Taiwan since 5 years, i have a lot of africans freinds studying here. It’ s always a big regret and supprised for each of us to see the way chinese react against back people just because of the color of our skin. Yeah, chinese are more racist than white beleive me. It’s normale that we fight we white due to the slavery and colonial backgroung but i don’t know why do chinese hate black people, i hope that we will build a better place as all of us we share the common humanity.

By: dwbl

dwbl — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 00:58:06 +0000

well i’ll be damned, they’re associating a black face to something that is CLEAN.

…

you’re missing the big picture:

at least they’re getting dental care products.

because, you know, they’re such inferior people over there; they’re not civilized enough to know that using the old name is offensive TO OTHER COUNTRIES’ cultural histories and social taboos.

they’re so inferior that we need to travel across the globe to notify them of their unsound practices.

so yeah, at least they’re getting toothpaste.

…

what about the commodifying of other cultures/skin colors in marketing products? why bother to just point out this one product, when there are countless others in many Asian countries?

why make it about social perspectives, when it really could have been a pure design decision? as in, what will make white stand out more? Black.

and if your response is “well that’s just poor design,” then just remember that they are inferior and they need to be educated by us Westerners on good design that is also inclusive. because, you know, we know so much about integration.
…

re-branding is a lot harder than you think. changing packaging and names might be easy, but changing entrenched buying habits and 20-year old brand associations is NOT. changing the “official” name does not change the “common” name, esp among a traditional Chinese people, who tend to stick to their established way of thinking.

because, you know, they’re not upscale enough to buy brands that are integrated, non-offensive, aspirational, and philanthropic. that stuff drives up the cost.