Chinky Toothpaste

[CrouchingDonkey]

I couldn't believe it either! This is a genuine toothpaste product you can buy, here in Hong Kong.

I was queuing up to buy something today, in Watsons (for our non-HK based members, it's a chain of drugstores in Hong Kong, equivalent to Boots in UK), when I saw this product. I had to double check that my eyes were not deceiving me!

I am astounded and appalled that a product with the name 'Chinky' could ever make it to market, in above all places Hong Kong.

Can you imagine the furore that would ensue, if they had launched a product in the UK (or probably any other western country), using a name with such racist connotations?!

Ok, so this word may not have a great deal of meaning to local HK Chinese, I mean why would it? 8 million Chinese people are hardly going to resort to calling one another Chinky. But to Chinese who were born and raised abroad, this word means plenty!

My point is this. It may not be offensive to the majority of people here, as they simply do not understand the meaning of word, but, it's sending out the wrong message to people who do understand.

This is a link direct to the product page of Hin Sang Hong Company Limited, the company who makes this product:
www.hshcl.com

Does anyone know who/which governing body I should write to, to complain? Does anyone even care, or am I overreacting?

[sunniefaith]

Bet you never heard of Darkie Toothpaste which became Darlie Toothpaste but it's chinese name remained the same, in direct translation, Black Guy Toothpaste

[CrouchingDonkey]

Actually, I have! I remember it was called Darkie back in the 80's. I was just as shocked then that they could use such a name.

They've even changed the features of the man on the box.

[sunniefaith]

And it's funny how they changed the English name but not the Chinese name...how dumb!!!

[youngjediboy]

Yeah I just noticed Chinky toothpaste today as well! What the hell? Did it recently come out? I've never seen it before and I just happened to notice it today in Watsons while looking for fiber tablets (which is right by the laxatives if anyone's wondering).

And yeah, I heard about the Darkie toothpaste turned Darlie. The Chinese name of course stayed the same because the Chinese name is literally "black man" hence not offensive. The black man gimmick actually works quite well... because it shows how WHITE your teeth can get, like it would look like on a darker skinned person. It's for illustration, not to discriminate. I told some black friends from back home about it and they thought the idea was neat also... just except for the horrible choice of the English name to use an offensive slur.

You woulda thunk someone learned from the Darkie to Darlie change.

I bet it's just a marketing gimmick... it's bad.. but free publicity for the brand... and of course to a small or new company they'll take anything they can get.

[KnowItAll]

Now all we need is a Gweilo toothpaste.

[HK_Newbie100]

Relax! It?s not the end of the world. My brother and I use to call each other Chinky and laugh about it; like when black people call themselves Nigxxx. If you laugh about something like that and don?t take things too seriously, in time you?ll take the potency and offence out of it, and leave your opponents without firepower. I think they should come out with a whole range of Chinky products, maybe even a McChinky from McDonalds?lol!. I?m all for pushing the boundaries of decency and taste; such ?virtues? are barriers to human development. If you rise above mere words, you rise above life itself.

[discobay]

I'm not sure I like all this. Just the mere mention of the word brings back horrid childhood memories. The company probably employed some local peasant to do the marketing - so much for being Asia's WC.

[Max]

I bet it's just a marketing gimmick... it's bad.. but free publicity for the brand... and of course to a small or new company they'll take anything they can get.

You hit the nail right on the head there.

This is EXACTLY what it is...all this talk...all this discussion....about a toothpaste that is inappropriately named.

The answer? Simple,...don't buy it. If you are so concerned/offended about the name, there are several things you can do....write to the company's PR dept, organize a petition, file a lawsuit,...etc.

Sorry if I sound harsh, but complaining on this forum isn't really gonna do much, unless the manufacturers themselves are here reading every word we type.

[kombuchakid]

you're slipping Mr KIA

[ame="http://www.google.com/search?num=30&hl=en&safe=off&q=chinky-toothpaste&btnG=Search"]chinky-toothpaste - Google Search[/ame]

there was a time not so long ago when GEOPAT would have been the first result

what happend?