Burberry Receives Backlash on Social Media After Confusing Dev Patel and Riz Ahmed

Announcement: When posting a photo to your Twitter account, or the Twitter account of the company you work for, make sure it’s the right person. Recently, Burberry confused actor Riz Ahmed with not-at-all-the-same actor Dev Patel on their Twitter account:

Burberry just confused @RizMC for Dev Patel because all brown people look the same? This is why we need to diversify our media. pic.twitter.com/d4iIITHNdo

— Simran Jeet Singh (@SikhProf) February 13, 2017

The tweet has since been deleted, but screen grabs last forever. The backlash was about what you’d expect:

Someone needs to be sacked at Burberry…. pic.twitter.com/eqchEVSNKr

— Lizzie Francke (@lizziefrancke) February 12, 2017

Yet another example of “people of colour all looking the same” @Burberry you should be ashamed of yourself.Unbelievable! #burberry #DevPatel https://t.co/sD3UVgOStV

— Syrus Lowe (@SyrusLoweDown) February 12, 2017

No Burberry, Riz Ahmed is NOT Dev Patel. Also while we’re here – Burberry’s 2016 Christmas ad was hideous white male imperialist colonialism https://t.co/2AHUqzQbvy

— Amrou Al-Kadhi (@Glamrou) February 13, 2017

Bloody loved Dev Patel in #TheNightOf and also loved @rizmc in #Slumdogmillionaire. Both amazing Sri Lankan actors. ?? @Burberry

— Abdullah Afzal (@Abdullah_Azfal) February 13, 2017

Dear @Burberry
All asian men look the same now?#RIZAHMED #DevPatel pic.twitter.com/2uGNlTgvYH

— Jasmine Dotiwala (@jasminedotiwala) February 13, 2017

? @rizmc and #DevPatel could not be more different. For shame @Burberry also I don’t think Riz is even wearing Burberry certainly not navy https://t.co/2RmbrQtPpq

— Saima ? (@SaimaFerdows) February 13, 2017

hmm. @burberry logic: @rizmc = #DevPatel – ‘cos all Asians look the same… ? https://t.co/c9S9j31Wl1

— ΞSP (@EscF12) February 13, 2017

No words @Burberry… two brown peeps #devpatel #rizahmed #burberry

… ?.

— Shenaz (@MissShenaz) February 13, 2017

You can rely on @Burberry for a touch of discriminatory class. How can they not tell the difference between @rizmc & #DevPatel ? #BAFTAs https://t.co/3a9W8Sti0f

— Ray Verma (@rayverma) February 13, 2017

Burberry has since apologized. Mail Online reports that a representative from the company said, “We apologise unreservedly for the incorrectly titled pictures of Dev Patel and Riz Ahmed posted late last night. This was a mistake that should not have happened and was corrected immediately. We have apologised directly to Dev and Riz. We are checking our processes to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

[featured image via Helga Esteb / Shutterstock, Inc.]