An Australian optometry chain has removed an advertising campaign after a man claimed on social media that its imagery reinforced stereotypes.
The man criticised 1001 Optometry's 'Do Good. Look Good.' campaign, which featured two Black children beside an appeal for people to donate used glasses and a white family promoting a discount.
Speaking outside the chain's Westpoint Blacktown store in Sydney's west, he accused the business of portraying people of colour negatively.
'Do good... Donate your used glasses,' the top section of the advertisement read, accompanied by a picture of two Black children.
The bottom section featured a white family next to the words: 'Look good... Get $101 off when you spend $350+ on frames'.
A visitor to the mall said it was wrong for the ad to portray people of colour in this way.
'How is it still acceptable to use people of colour so people will feel sorry and donate?
'On the other hand, the white couple is praised and given a positive image. When will this end?
'We're in 2026. This needs to stop and people need to speak up.'
The man accused the business of portraying people of colour negatively
The two-part display promoted the shop's discount and encouraged people to donate used glasses
The man claimed advertisers routinely used 'people of colour' to depict poverty while presenting white people more positively.
'They will never use their colour to say that there is a poverty,' he said while pointing to the image of the white family.
'They will always use your type of colour.
'They will always use black, Indian, Filipinos and everyone's colour to make them poor.'
A 1001 Optometry spokesman told Daily Mail the business was aware of concerns about its advertising campaign and had removed the materials while it reviewed the complaints.
'The initiative was created to encourage customers to donate used prescription glasses to Lions Recycle for Sight Australia at participating 1001 Optometry stores,' he said.
'We have removed campaign materials while we consider the concerns raised.'
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