Lululemon apologizes for using Japanese drum at – Business News
Lululemon has issued a public apology for using a Japanese drum during a promotional yoga occasion staged on China’s Great Wall, which triggered a social media firestorm.
The Canadian athleisure company mentioned it didn’t show cultural sensitivity for the occasion, which was held at the tip of May and featured Chinese actor Zhu Yilong.
Critics mentioned the instrument used at the occasion resembled a Japanese taiko drum, a barrel-shaped percussion instrument historically performed with massive sticks in ensemble performances.
Chinese actor Zhu Yilong appeared at Lululemon’s Great Wall yoga competition, which sparked backlash over the use of a Japanese drum during a efficiency.
The Chinese dagu, which was not used, is a broad class of conventional Chinese drums with distinct designs and efficiency kinds.
“Due to limitations in our professional knowledge, we were unable to identify potential controversies,” Lululemon mentioned.
It additionally mentioned it “should have been more cautious and thorough,” and has eliminated “all related promotional content.”
While Lululemon didn’t specify the drum’s origin, the company emphasised that the occasion was meant to rejoice Chinese tradition.
“We deeply value the feedback received and recognize that we should have been more thoughtful and sensitive in our planning and review process for the drum performance,” the assertion continued.
“This has been a valuable learning for us, and we extend our sincerest apologies.”
The backlash displays longstanding sensitivities in China towards Japanese cultural symbols, which may shortly turn out to be flashpoints online amid lingering tensions between the 2 nations.
More than 2,000 people attended Lululemon’s yoga competition at the Great Wall in late May, an occasion that later ignited a cultural controversy in China. China News Service by way of Getty Images
As a consequence, symbols perceived as Japanese usually draw heightened scrutiny in China, significantly during high-profile cultural occasions.
In a assertion posted on Weibo, one of China’s largest social media platforms, Lululemon apologized to each Zhu and the public after criticism unfold online.
The controversy erupted after online commentators questioned the origin of the drum used during the Great Wall occasion.
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The challenge gained wider consideration after percussionist Xu Yang revealed a video analyzing the instrument, drawing further scrutiny to the efficiency.
Crisis communications strategist Amore Philip mentioned Lululemon’s apology was well timed however might not absolutely handle issues in China.
“The speed was right. The language was wrong,” Philip informed The Post, arguing that the company’s clarification that it lacked enough experience risked making it seem “incompetent rather than accountable.”
Lululemon’s high-profile Great Wall activation was meant to rejoice Chinese tradition however as an alternative sparked an online backlash. China News Service by way of Getty Images
Philip described the backlash as “a warning shot, not a death blow” for Lululemon’s China business, noting that the market stays one of the company’s fastest-growing areas.
The Great Wall controversy is the most recent in a string of public-relations complications for Lululemon.
Earlier this 12 months, the company confronted criticism after customers complained that its “Get Low” leggings have been see-through, prompting a non permanent gross sales pause and a 6.5% drop in its share price.
In 2024, Lululemon pulled its “Breezethrough” leggings after clients mocked the design online, whereas founder Chip Wilson sparked backlash the identical 12 months with feedback criticizing the company’s DEI efforts.
The athleisure giant eliminated promotional content material tied to its Great Wall occasion following a social media firestorm in China. Jimin Kim/SOPA Images/Shutterstock
Foreign manufacturers working in China and elsewhere usually come up towards cultural and political sensitivities that may shortly turn out to be flashpoints on social media.
Diplomatic tensions between China and Japan have additionally been working high in current months. Beijing sharply criticized Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi after feedback suggesting a Chinese assault on Taiwan might pose a direct menace to Japan’s security.
Chinese officers accused Tokyo of interfering in its inside affairs, whereas the remarks fueled issues in Beijing that Japan was taking a more confrontational stance towards its regional rival.
Lululemon just isn’t the primary world model to stumble into a cultural controversy in Asia.
Earlier this 12 months, Starbucks apologized in South Korea after a advertising and marketing marketing campaign was accused of invoking symbols related to the 1980 Gwangju rebellion, triggering a public backlash and the departure of a senior government.
Last 12 months, outside attire model Arc’teryx confronted an online backlash after holding a fireworks occasion in Tibet.
The Post has sought remark from Lululemon.
