This article has been updated to reflect comment from Taco Bell.
Taco Bell is airing an edited TV commercial for its “Naked Chicken Chalupa” after some viewers claimed the first version was “racist,” AgencySpy reports.
The first commercial shows a man trying to toss a Chalupa wrapper into the trashcan, but he misses and hits a black woman pushing a baby stroller instead. Now, the commercial shows the man throwing his wrapper directly into the trash. According to AgencySpy, a broadcaster aired the first version by mistake—after which point social media influencers picked it up and it was posted on YouTube.
You can watch the original version below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Krs0HVqNrNc
And the edited version here:
Despite the edit, some social media users are still talking about the “racist” undertones of the first commercial. Some have gone as far as to suggest a boycott of the chain.
“This is so ugly, and considering the ‘era’ this setting is emulating, this eerily reflects the kind of treatment that actually occurred!” Facebook user Christina Ingram wrote.
https://www.facebook.com/christina.m.bouie/posts/10100651535964138
https://www.facebook.com/charlene.bunch1/posts/1302369383157555
https://twitter.com/nechr/status/828382851469041664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
In a statement to Fortune, a Taco Bell spokesperson said that, “We had no intention of upsetting anyone with this ad and apologize to anyone who was offended. We immediately re-edited the commercial and removed the original version from the air.”
