This is a screen shot of a video that is an interview with Jon Moeller, the CEO of Procter & Gamble (P&G). In the interview, Moeller features P&G’s recent earnings report, which showed strong growth in sales and profits. He also talks about the company’s strategy for growth in China that P&G invested heavily in digital marketing and social media. However, there was a social media crisis sparked controversy in China.

Careful Messaging is Crucial: How P&G’s WeChat Post Sparked a Social Media Crisis

On March 13, a post on the Chinese “P&G Member Center” WeChat account sparked a controversy due to its contentious content about women’s body odor.

The article was titled “Women’s feet smell 5 times more than men’s? Don’t believe it? Smell it for yourself!” claimed that women’s feet produce more odor than men’s, and that women’s breasts are particularly prone to smelling bad. The piece went on to compare men’s and women’s body odor, using inflammatory language to describe the supposed unpleasantness of women’s smells, such as comparing them to “durian + snail noodles + stinky tofu” and suggesting that even clean women have dirtier underwear than men. The article ended with a recommendation to use various P&G products, including shower gel, shampoo, laundry gel beads, underwear cleaning foam, and bacteria removal spray.

On March 24 at noon, the official P&G China Weibo account issued a response regarding a recent incident involving the disrespectful article. The response included an apology for the inappropriate content and how it disrespected women.

Going on the Offensive: Could P&G Have Prevented the Offensive WeChat Article?

This social media crisis of P&G highlights the importance of careful messaging and sensitivity to cultural and gender issues.

The article on P&G’s Member Center account caused offense due to its disrespectful and sexist content about women’s body odor. Meanwhile, the article’s suggestion to use P&G products at the end of the post also seemed to be in poor taste, as it appeared to capitalize on the controversial content.

As my perspectives, this post released by P&G Group is a group work. The edit, proofread and publishment of an advertisement must involve the participation of copywriters, art workers and auditors. However, there was no one makes corrections and modifications in this process, which is the real problem of P&G.

Responding to Crisis Like a Late Comer: P&G’s Delayed Response

It took P&G 10 days to respond to the incident and apologize. P&G’s delayed response may have contributed to the worse situation of the issue, as the article continued to circulate and generate controversy in the public eye. The delay may have further fueled anger and resentment towards the brand, and some may have perceived P&G’s delayed response as insensitive or uncaring towards women.

In addition, The delay in issuing an apology also damaged P&G’s reputation and public trust. The public expects companies to be take responsibility for their actions. The delayed response may have given the impression that P&G was not taking the situation seriously or that they were not committed to addressing the issue.

A Misstep in Crisis Management: How P&G’s Delayed Response May Have Hurt their Brand Image

The way P&G managed the crisis could be seen as hindering their brand image. First of all, the delay in issuing an apology allowed the controversy to continue to spread, resulting in negative publicity for the brand. Additionally, some may view the brand’s response as insincere or insufficient, given the severity of the situation. As a result, P&G lost trust and credibility with some Chinese consumers who have been offended by the original article and the subsequent response.

In conclusion, it is important to note that the impact of the crisis on the brand’s image may vary depending on the cultural context and attitudes towards gender and sexism in not only China but the whole world.