Skins accused of being racially insensitive

NEW ZEALAND: Compression garment specialist Skins has an an advertisement withdrawn from television in New Zealand after the ads were found to be racially insensitive.

An ad by the Australian-headquartered sportswear brand attracted more than 70 complaints to the country's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) following the airing of the ad that showed a number of black athletes saying things such as "If you look at the way a black male is built we're more muscular [and] stronger. You want to be like us?"

One complaint received by the board said the viewer found the ad "offensive" because it reinforced people's beliefs that different human traits were linked to race.

In response Skins said it never intended to offend anyone however admitted it had deliberately adopted a marketing strategy based on "challenging traditional methods".

The ad has since been withdrawn.

It is not the first time the brand has courted controversy after coming under fire in Australia last year for alleged breaches of the Trade Practices Act.