Lululemon is under fire in China after an apparent cultural misstep at a yoga festival held on the Great Wall.
The activewear brand hosted the event on May 30, according to the state-run Global Times, as part of an effort to spotlight wellness and Chinese culture. A now-deleted press release reviewed by CNN said more than 2,000 people attended.
Among the guests was Chinese actor Zhu Yilong, who appeared alongside the HIIKO Drum Troupe. The instrument used during the performance was initially described as a traditional Chinese drum, Global Times reported.
But the presentation quickly drew criticism online. Social media users and musicians said the drum — which prominently displayed the Lululemon logo — appeared to be a Japanese taiko drum rather than a Chinese one.
The backlash was swift, with critics accusing the company of undermining the very cultural message the event was meant to celebrate.
One social media user wrote, “Nothing says ‘respecting Chinese heritage’ like bringing what appears to be a Japanese taiko drum to the Great Wall. Lululemon speed running brand crisis in China.”
‘WE’VE COMPLETELY LOST ALL RESPECT FOR HISTORY — LULULEMON TURNS THE GREAT WALL INTO AN ABSOLUTE JOKE,’ a furious person wrote.
They continued: ‘One promotional yoga event. One drum that looked slightly Japanese. Suddenly, it’s a full-blown national crisis in China. Apologies flying, content deleted, actors distancing themselves, millions of views of outrage. The Great Wall, one of the most iconic symbols in human history, was reduced to this level of fragile meltdown over a single instrument.’
Lululemon is facing backlash after mistakenly featuring a Japanese drum while hosting an event on the Great Wall of China
Both types of drum are large, made from cowhide and sit on wooden frames.
However, many slammed the brand for the cultural implications, as the Great Wall is one of China’s most profound national symbols, and some suggested using the Japanese instrument was insensitive.
On Monday, Global Times reported that footage of the drum performance had been viewed more than 50 million times on the Chinese social media site Weibo.
According to a press release from Lululemon shared to Weibo and translated, the Great Wall Yoga themed event was intended to pay tribute to Chinese culture.
‘We highly value feedback from all sectors of society,’ it read.
‘Due to limitations in our relevant professional understanding, we failed to fully identify potential controversies during the initial stages.’
The statement added that the sportswear company has now ‘fully realized’ that they should have been ‘more prudent and thorough’ during the initial planning and vetting process of the drum performance.
‘Hereby, we express our sincere apologies to the public and to Mr Zhu Yilong, and we have already taken down all related promotional content.
Many slammed the brand for the cultural implications, as the Great Wall is one of China’s most profound national symbols and some suggested using the Japanese instrument was insensitive
Lululemon said they have now ‘fully realized’ that they should have been ‘more prudent and thorough’ during the initial planning and vetting process of the drum performance
The event was slated to promote Chinese culture and wellness, according to a now-deleted press release seen by CNN, with more than 2,000 guests attending
‘We will deeply absorb this experience and lesson, and we will carry out future activities and communications with a more rigorous attitude.’
In a statement released on Tuesday by Yilong’s representatives, they urged to ‘verify the entire process and to review, analyze, and follow up on the matter.’
The statement shared to Weibo assured fans that Yilong and his team ‘have always been committed to promoting traditional Chinese culture.’
The HIIKO Drum Troupe that performed with Yilong also issued a statement on Tuesday, saying ‘all external promotion and use of the controversial drums have been suspended.’
Lululemon has since removed all media from the event from its website and social media.
A Lululemon company spokesperson further told the Daily Mail: ‘Our Great Wall yoga event in May was grounded in a commitment to honoring Chinese culture.
‘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.
‘This has been a valuable learning for us, and we extend our sincerest apologies.’
