Chinese electronics giant OPPO has punished a senior vice president and marketing managers after an advert about “two husbands” sparked official criticism across China.
As per the media reports, the post, published on Friday on social media platform Weibo, read: “My mother has two husbands — one is my dad, the other seen twice a year.”
The company said the second “husband” in the advert referred to the favourite celebrity of a mother, framing it as part of a campaign celebrating modern mothers.
Official backlash
Authorities responded sharply, with a provincial propaganda department stating on Sunday that “two husbands is not funny at all,” condemning the content publicly.
Officials from eastern Zhejiang province warned brands against using emotionally provocative tactics to attract younger consumers, stressing the importance of moral boundaries.
The China Advertising Association also criticised brands for crossing ethical lines, with local media reporting the trade group’s formal statement on Sunday.
Demographic pressure
China is grappling with a significant demographic crisis, with the national birth rate having fallen by half over the course of the past decade.
In response to the population decline, Chinese authorities have actively promoted traditional family values and conventional marriage structures across the country in recent years.
Company response
OPPO removed the post shortly after publication and issued a statement on Friday explaining the advert’s original intent to showcase diverse images of modern motherhood.
However, taking the post down failed to prevent a weekend of official criticism directed at the company from multiple government and industry bodies.
On Monday, OPPO announced it had “severely punished” a senior vice president and marketing managers for “ignoring the bottom line of mainstream societal values.”
