A marketing stunt by Chinese bubble tea chain Good Me, intended to highlight service quality, has backfired, sparking outrage after a viral video showed employees being publicly shamed.

In the video released earlier this week on the lifestyle app Xiaohongshu, company employees stand with their heads lowered, hands bound by makeshift cuffs made from cup holders.

Around their necks hang signs scrawled with offenses like “failing to add nuts,” “forgetting to include a straw,” and “forgetting to put on a lid” — alongside the words “I am guilty” in Chinese.

The video’s caption ominously warned, “This is a warning. Next time... there won’t be a next time.”

The video quickly drew fierce criticism on social media, with many users accusing the company of humiliating and exploiting its workers. Some likened the scene to public shaming tactics from the past, calling it dehumanizing and abusive.

Amid the strong backlash, Good Me swiftly removed the video and issued an apology, claiming the campaign was a misguided attempt at humor.

Launched in 2010 in eastern China’s Zhejiang province, Good Me bills itself as China’s second-largest bubble tea chain, and operates 9,000 stores across 200 cities in China.

The marketing video, posted on Sept. 16 by Good Me’s Guangdong branch in southern China, was meant to showcase flawless service and strict management. But online, it quickly fell flat.

“Even in ancient times, exiled criminals didn’t have to wear plaques listing their crimes. It’s nothing but capitalist exploitation, humiliating and mentally abusing workers,” read one Xiaohongshu comment, which received 15,000 likes. Another, with over 14,000 likes, said: “Why not make a sign for the boss that says ‘guilty of delaying wages’ or ‘guilty of mistreating employees?’”

Though the video was taken down the day after it was posted, the controversy quickly reached the top of Weibo’s trending list on Sept. 18.

Later that afternoon, Good Me issued an apology on the platform, explaining that the video was a misguided attempt to adapt a trend on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, where users sarcastically say the phrase “I am guilty” and use paper cup holders as “handcuffs.” The Douyin trend typically mocks people who are overly devoted to their lovers.

“What we thought was a humorous ‘meme’ caused misunderstanding and discomfort among some viewers,” Good Me’s apology read. “We will exercise greater caution in future promotional campaigns to avoid any further misunderstandings.”

Despite the apology, the controversy continued to escalate, with legal experts weighing in on the potential violations.

“Historically and culturally, practices like wearing tall hats or placards for public shaming were forms of persecution. It’s easy for the public to see Good Me’s actions as humiliating its employees,” Kong Yunfei, a lawyer from Shanghai Landing Law Offices, told Southern Metropolis Daily.

Kong also explained that the campaign violates China’s labor law, which prohibits employers from insulting, physically punishing, or unlawfully detaining workers.

While the long-term impact of the backlash on Good Me’s future remains uncertain, the controversy comes at a time when China’s made-to-order beverage industry is under mounting pressure.

Brands like Nayuki Tea have seen their market value plummet by over 85% since going public in 2021. Intense competition has led many companies to slash labor costs, with Nayuki’s 2023 financial report showing a drop in labor expenses from 23.5% in 2022 to 20.3% in 2023.

As a result, employees are increasingly overworked. In June, three consecutive incidents involving burned-out Manner Coffee staff clashing with customers underscored the growing strain on workers in the industry.

Editor: Apurva.

(Header image: Screenshots show Good Me employees with their heads lowered and hands bound by paper cup holders and wearing signs that list minor mistakes, such as “failing to add nuts” and “forgetting to put on a lid.” From Xiaohongshu)