Lululemon apologizes for using Japanese drum in China marketing video

Key facts

• Lululemon apologized for a marketing video in China.
• Lululemon withdrew the marketing video from China.
• The video featured a Japanese wadaiko drum.
• The drum was used during a Great Wall event.
• The use of the drum sparked backlash over cultural insensitivity.
• The use of the drum sparked backlash over historical memory.
• The video was part of a promotion for a new Lululemon store in Beijing.

Lululemon has issued an apology and withdrawn a marketing video in China following public outcry over the use of a Japanese wadaiko drum during a promotional event at the Great Wall. The company's decision to feature the traditional Japanese instrument during an event in China, a country with a complex and often fraught historical relationship with Japan, sparked accusations of cultural insensitivity and insensitivity to historical memory. The video was reportedly part of a promotion for Lululemon's new store in Beijing. The backlash highlights the delicate balance companies must strike when marketing in diverse cultural landscapes, particularly in regions with sensitive historical contexts. Lululemon's swift apology and video removal indicate an attempt to mitigate further damage to its brand reputation in the crucial Chinese market.