陷“擦边营销”争议 金帝巧克力道歉

Core Viewpoint - The controversy surrounding Jindi Chocolate's marketing content has led to significant public backlash, particularly due to a perceived inappropriate advertisement that sparked discomfort among consumers [1][2]. Group 1: Marketing Controversy - Jindi Chocolate faced criticism for a promotional post on Xiaohongshu that included the phrase "The bear gets bigger? Is it something you can hold?" which was interpreted as having vulgar implications [1][2]. - Consumers expressed their disapproval, with some parents stating they would not purchase the product for their children due to the inappropriate nature of the marketing [2]. Group 2: Company Response - In response to the backlash, Jindi Chocolate issued an apology on January 12, explaining that the controversial content was generated by an "automatic optimization feature" of their marketing system, which led to unintended display of inappropriate material [2][4]. - The company has since hidden the related content, paused all marketing related to the golden bear chocolate, and formed a special team to review the risks associated with their marketing system [4]. Group 3: Public Reaction - The initial apology did not quell the controversy; instead, it intensified criticism, with many consumers dismissing the "automatic optimization" explanation as an excuse [5]. - Following the backlash, Jindi Chocolate retracted their first apology and issued a second one, clarifying that the controversial image was neither manually written nor AI-generated, and that the content could not be monitored during the marketing process [5]. Group 4: Brand Impact - The incident has negatively impacted Jindi Chocolate's brand reputation, with many consumers expressing their discontent in the comments section of the apology, stating they have removed the brand from their shopping carts and unfollowed it [7]. - Jindi Chocolate, originally established in 1990 and a leading domestic chocolate brand, was acquired by Haolinjia Co. in 2016 and is currently attempting to revive its brand by appealing to consumers' childhood memories [8].