Home shopping giant QVC found itself in hot water after a recent marketing campaign took a racially insensitive turn, prompting widespread condemnation and an apology from the company’s president.
On International Women’s Day, March 8, QVC sent out an email to its customers promoting a new purse with the subject line, “You’ll love this bag longtime.”
QVC President Mike Fitzharris sent an apology the same day, calling it “derogatory language that is offensive, particularly to the Asian community and women.” He added it doesn’t reflect the company’s “commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.”
The phrase, seemingly a play on a derogatory stereotype often associated with Asian women, sparked immediate backlash on social media.
“This is why DEI is still important-especially for TRAINING employees,” one customer posted on X (formerly Twitter), along with a screenshot of the email. “It’s vulgar & racist. While there was an apology email, it NEVER should have gone out. And on International Women’s Day.”
The phrase “love you longtime” appeared to be a reference to a line spoken by a Vietnamese sex worker in Stanley Kubrick’s 1987 film Full Metal Jacket. The line has since been widely criticized for perpetuating harmful stereotypes and over-sexualizing Asian women.