In February 2022, Asian Raisins approached the Belgian media company De Chinezen for a discussion [article in Dutch] about their website design, which contained stark references to communist China. For instance, the site featured a bright red colour scheme with yellow stars, whilst their front page displayed the silhouette of Mao Zedong. Additionally, the website featured misleading buttons such as one labelled “More News from China” which did not actually report any news from China. After some discussions and conversations between Asian Raisins and the company, the website design was updated. The previous red theme is now replaced with a more neutral orange layout.
In May 2022, we were invited to review the updated website. The previous style, colours, and cultural references to communist China had been removed and replaced with a graphic style that, according to the company, better reflected its current identity.
During this redesign, the company also stated that a full rebranding, including a name change, would take place in the first half of 2023. More details on this can be found in the article we published in February 2023 [in Dutch].
To date, however, the Belgian media company De Chinezen has yet to change its name. This is problematic for several reasons: lack of cultural sensitivity, lack of social responsibility, and the avoidance of misunderstandings. The current name creates an association with Chinese culture, even though the media company itself has no actual connection to the country, its culture, or the Chinese diaspora. This results in a harmful and misleading perception of what the company represents.
The name De Chinezen reinforces harmful stereotypes, especially at a time when anti-Chinese sentiment is increasing worldwide. This company may contribute, consciously or unconsciously, to the further reproduction of stereotypes and prejudices against Chinese people. The name suggests a link with China that does not exist, capitalizing off and reappropriating the Chinese identity as a gimmick and marketing strategy, and is therefore offensive.
The act of taking elements from another culture is known as cultural appropriation. This occurs when aspects of a culture are used by people outside the culture without understanding or respecting the context, value, or history behind those elements. Although the company’s original branding has been adjusted, the name remains, and with it, the association persists. The company and those behind De Chinezen are not taking responsibility for their oversight. Their choice to avoid action sends a message that we too, are not being taken seriously. This dismissive behaviour has further incentivized our urge for the company to follow through and take accountability for their promises by changing their name.
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