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When Branding Hits the Wrong Note: Lululemon and the High Cost of ... Business June 17, 2026 Source: SoBiz When Branding Hits the Wrong Note: Lululemon and the High Cost of Cultural Misreading in China Lululemon has issued a public apology in China after mislabeling Japanese Taiko drums as Chinese traditional drums during a major promotional event at the Great Wall. The incident highlights the increasing difficulty international brands face in navigating China's heightened cultural sensitivities and the sophisticated scrutiny of local consumers. Key Takeaways 1 Lululemon apologized for misidentifying Japanese Taiko drums as 'Chinese Great Drums' in a Great Wall marketing campaign. 2 The backlash was driven by percussion experts and netizens who flagged the inaccuracies in the instruments' shape and craftsmanship. 3 The brand removed all related promotional content and issued apologies to the public and brand ambassador Zhu Yilong. 4 The incident reflects a shift in the Chinese market where consumers demand deeper authenticity and respect for cultural heritage. 5 Experts suggest that cultural marketing now requires a 'high-threshold' of expertise, involving historians and cultural …

Lululemon apologises for China event with actor beating Japanese drum on Great Wall The sportswear brand Lululemon has apologised and withdrawn its latest marketing video in China because of a controversy surrounding a big Japanese drum and the Great Wall. The video was designed to promote a yoga-themed event the brand held on the world-renowned historic site in suburban Beijing on May 30. The activity, which was supposed to salute Chinese culture, featured top-tier Chinese actor Zhu Yilong and the mainland’s leading Fanxiang Drum Corp, who played the drums together during the...

Lululemon yoga event on Great Wall of China causes Japanese drum furor Chinese actor Zhu Yilong next to a drum at a Lululemon yoga event on the Great Wall of China on May 30, 2026. obtained from social media Asia China Japan Social media See all topics Facebook Tweet Email Link Threads Link Copied! Follow Activewear brand Lululemon is in hot water in China after a promotional event held on the Great Wall appeared to mistakenly feature a Japanese drum – setting off an online furor. The consumer backlash, which prompted Lululemon to issue an apology and scrub its campaign, is the latest example of how quickly Western brands can come unstuck in a country where nationalism has surged under strongman leader Xi Jinping. It began with a yoga festival organized by Lululemon on the Great Wall on May 30, according to Chinese state-run tabloid Global Times. Billed as an event promoting Chinese culture and wellness, more than 2,000 guests laid down their mats on the ancient stone of the country’s most iconic landmark to practice yoga under the sun, according to a now-deleted press release by the brand. One prominent guest was Chinese actor Zhu Yilong, known for his roles in popular movies and…

Lululemon yoga event on Great Wall of China causes Japanese drum furor Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save (CNN) — Activewear brand Lululemon is in hot water in China after a promotional event held on the Great Wall appeared to mistakenly feature a Japanese drum – setting off an online furor. The consumer backlash, which prompted Lululemon to issue an apology and scrub its campaign, is the latest example of how quickly Western brands can come unstuck in a country where nationalism has surged under strongman leader Xi Jinping. It began with a yoga festival organized by Lululemon on the Great Wall on May 30, according to Chinese state-run tabloid Global Times. Billed as an event promoting Chinese culture and wellness, more than 2,000 guests laid down their mats on the ancient stone of the country’s most iconic landmark to practice yoga under the sun, according to a now-deleted press release by the brand. One prominent guest was Chinese actor Zhu Yilong, known for his roles in popular movies and television shows like “Guardian,” “The Story of Minglan” and “Lighting Up the Stars.” At the festival, he joined a drum troupe…

Lululemon apologises after Great Wall drum slip sparks backlash Lululemon has sparked backlash with a slip up at its Great Wall yoga festival . The brand – which usually gets China right when it comes to cultural sensitivity – has now drawn major heat across Chinese social media, all because of a drum performance. More than 2,000 people were in attendance on the Great Wall. The brand’s ten-year-China anniversary was cause for celebration . Yoga sessions, performances, community activities, and celebrity appearances were the order of the day. The incident surpassed 50 million views on Weibo Images: Screen-grabbed from Rednote/lululemon The controversy begins with one such celeb: Zhu Yilong, a huge name in China and long-time ambassador for the brand. As promotional material circulated, fans noticed the drum Zhu had posed next to looked a lot more like a Japanese taiko drum rather than a traditional Chinese dagu drum. The familiar pattern followed. Posts questioning the choice of instrument spread rapidly across Weibo, where discussion of the incident surpassed 50 million views. Critics argued that the use of a Japanese-style drum was inappropriate at an event positioned as a celebr…

Lululemon apologises after Japanese drum row at Great Wall yoga event The activewear brand Lululemon has apologised after a promotional event held on the Great Wall of China appeared to mistakenly feature a Japanese drum, prompting an uproar. The Canadian-headquartered company, known for its upmarket leggings, has been growing rapidly in China and arranged for a yoga festival to take place in late May on a section of the wall near Beijing. More than 2,000 people were invited to take part in the event, which was advertised as promoting Chinese culture and wellness, according to the Chinese state-run tabloid Global Times , with the well-known Chinese actor Zhu Yilong booked to perform. Zhu joined a drum group on the Great Wall for what was described as a traditional Chinese drum performance and posted a picture of himself in front of one of the instruments, which had the Lululemon logo on it, on his account on Weibo, one of China’s largest social media platforms. Weibo users accused the group of using a Japanese taiko instrument rather than a Chinese dagu drum. Many described this as inappropriate and insulting, according to the Global Times. Drum discussions had gathered more than …

Lululemon apologises after Japanese drum controversy at Great Wall yoga ... A Lululemon shop in Shanghai. The Canadian company is one of several activewear groups that have enjoyed rapid growth in China in recent years. Photo by Hector RETAMAL / AFP via Getty Images Article content Lululemon Athletica Inc. has apologized for a yoga event staged on China’s Great Wall after it drew intense scrutiny over the purported use of a Japanese drum. Sign In or Create an Account or View more offers Article content The Canadian athleisure company, which has grown rapidly in China, hired actor Zhu Yilong to perform at the promotional event at the end of May. Article content We apologize, but this video has failed to load. Try refreshing your browser, or tap here to see other videos from our team . We apologize, but this video has failed to load. Try refreshing your browser, or tap here to see other videos from our team . Play Video Article content Lululemon issued an apology to both Zhu and the “general public” on Weibo, one of China’s biggest social media platforms, after accusations circulated that the instrument in question was Japanese. Article content “Due to limitations in our professiona…

Lululemon Apologizes After Great Wall Yoga Event Sparks Drum ... BUSINESS Lululemon Apologizes After Great Wall Yoga Event Sparks Drum Controversy By Feng Yiming and Chang Fangziyan Published: Jun. 17, 2026  3:43 a.m.  GMT+8 00:00 00:00 / 00:00 您的浏览器不支持 audio 标签。 Listen to this article 1x Subscribe now Listen to the full version Actor Zhu Yilong, a Lululemon brand ambassador, stretches into yoga poses in front of a large drum during the promotional event Lululemon Athletica Inc. apologized and pulled promotional materials for a high-profile yoga event at the Great Wall after facing online backlash for featuring Japanese Taiko drums instead of the advertised traditional Chinese instruments. The controversy erupted in mid-June over a flagship marketing campaign starring actor and brand ambassador Zhu Yilong, which Lululemon originally touted as a celebration of Chinese drumming. You've accessed an article available only to subscribers Subscribe today for just $.99. VIEW OPTIONS Unlock exclusive discounts with a Caixin group subscription — ideal for teams and organizations. Save an extra $50. Introductory offer for new readers. Subscribe now . RELATED Lululemon Cuts Outlook as China …

Lululemon apologises amid Japanese drum row at Great Wall yoga event <p>Online uproar in China follows Canadian brand’s use of taiko drum at sponsored festival held to celebrate Chinese culture</p><p>The activewear brand Lululemon has apologised after a promotional event held on the Great Wall of China appeared to mistakenly feature a Japanese drum, prompting an uproar.</p><p>The Canadian-headquartered company, known for its upmarket yoga leggings, has been growing rapidly in China and arranged for a yoga festival to take place in late May on a section of the wall near Beijing.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/jun/17/lululemon-apologises-japanese-drum-great-wall-china-yoga-event">Continue reading...</a>