E-Paper
Lululemon issues apology after ‘Japanese Drum’ row at Great Wall of China
Canadian activewear giant issued public apology after a yoga event at the Great Wall of China triggered an online uproar over a drum performance
On May 30, Lululemon marked its 10th anniversary in mainland China with a wellness and cultural event at the Great Wall near Beijing, drawing over 2,000 participants.
The celebration featured Chinese actor and brand ambassador Zhu Yilong, who joined a percussion group, the HiiKo Drum Group, for what was billed as a traditional Chinese drum (dagu) performance.
The controversy
The backlash erupted after photos and videos from the event surfaced online.
Many Chinese musicians and social media users noted that the red drum bearing Lululemon’s logo was actually a Japanese taiko drum, not a traditional Chinese instrument.
Some argued that featuring a Japanese instrument to celebrate Chinese culture was insensitive. The topic quickly went viral, pulling in over 50 million views on Weibo.
The apology
In response to the backlash, the company removed all the event-related content and issued an apology on Weibo on June 16, addressing both the public and Zhu Yilong. “Due to limitations in our professional knowledge, we were unable to identify potential controversies initially,” Lulumelon wrote, admitting that they should have been more “prudent and cautious,” during the planning process.
