Los Angeles - An online ad featuring Ashton Kutcher as an Indian man has been pulled offline after viewers called it racist.
The images and video for Popchips feature the 34-year-old Two and a Half Men star in brown make-up portraying a Bollywood producer named Raj who is "looking for love" and "the most delicious thing on the planet".
They were removed from YouTube and Facebook after being criticised online.
'Provoke a few laughs'
According to Gawker, Kutcher also co-developed the ad campaign and he is the brand's official spokesperson.
Other videos featuring Kutcher as a hippie stoner, tattooed Southerner and pasty fashionista remain online.
A spokesperson for Popchips says the dating parody featuring the four characters was "created to provoke a few laughs and was never intended to stereotype or offend anyone."
She added that the company hopes "people can enjoy this in the spirit it was intended."
Blogger Anil Dash branded the ad racist, saying on Twitter: "Hey, startups that are helping @aplusk get richer, can you tell him that racist brownface ads aren't cool?"
Following the online backlash, Popchips founder, Keith Belling, apologised "to anyone we offended", and promptly pulled the ad.
Snippets of "Raj" still remain in a composite ad, but it will also likely be removed shortly and revised.
Watch the composite ad here:
- Channel24
The images and video for Popchips feature the 34-year-old Two and a Half Men star in brown make-up portraying a Bollywood producer named Raj who is "looking for love" and "the most delicious thing on the planet".
They were removed from YouTube and Facebook after being criticised online.
'Provoke a few laughs'
According to Gawker, Kutcher also co-developed the ad campaign and he is the brand's official spokesperson.
Other videos featuring Kutcher as a hippie stoner, tattooed Southerner and pasty fashionista remain online.
A spokesperson for Popchips says the dating parody featuring the four characters was "created to provoke a few laughs and was never intended to stereotype or offend anyone."
She added that the company hopes "people can enjoy this in the spirit it was intended."
Blogger Anil Dash branded the ad racist, saying on Twitter: "Hey, startups that are helping @aplusk get richer, can you tell him that racist brownface ads aren't cool?"
Following the online backlash, Popchips founder, Keith Belling, apologised "to anyone we offended", and promptly pulled the ad.
Snippets of "Raj" still remain in a composite ad, but it will also likely be removed shortly and revised.
Watch the composite ad here:
- Channel24