The controversy surrounding OPPO’s Mother’s Day marketing campaign has sparked intense debate. Beyond the obvious crudeness of the phrase “two husbands,” a more troubling question emerges: How could Yu Siyue, the same planner who handled marketing for Huawei and brand promotion for DJI without any issues, cause such a disaster at OPPO?
Did her abilities suddenly decline? Did her values go astray? Neither. The real answer lies in the fundamentally different approval systems and accountability structures across these three companies. This isn’t solely an individual’s fault—it’s a collective failure of OPPO’s brand management system.
Huawei and DJI’s Approval Systems: Values as a Veto Power
Both Huawei and DJI share a common principle: brand communication boundaries always outweigh creativity. At Huawei, any external marketing material must pass through at least six checkpoints: initial draft reviewed by department head, design review by brand team, legal compliance, values assessment by the party committee, final sign-off by a vice president, and a 24-hour pre-publication simulation.
Content like “two husbands,” which blatantly violates marriage ethics, would be rejected at the first stage—the brand team wouldn’t even see it. Huawei’s rule is ironclad: any material that could cause public discomfort or violate social norms is vetoed, regardless of creative merit. DJI is even stricter. As a global tech company, it maintains a “global cultural compliance team” that reviews every line of copy and every poster from diverse cultural and generational perspectives. Even subtle gender or age stereotypes are eliminated. DJI’s philosophy: tech products win through strength, not cheap gimmicks. Crucially, at both Huawei and DJI, entry-level planners only execute; they lack final approval authority. Yu Siyue’s work back then was filtered through layers of supervisors, managers, and directors.
OPPO’s Approval System: Sacrificing Boundaries for “Youthfulness”
So why did the same person fail at OPPO? Because OPPO gave her too much power while weakening critical oversight. In its aggressive pursuit of a “younger brand image” to shed the “budget phone” label, OPPO hired many Gen Z and millennial employees and granted them extensive creative freedom, even embracing the slogan “let young people understand young people.” Yu Siyue was recruited as the country’s brand planning lead, seen as the perfect fit due to her elite education, big-name resume, and familiarity with fandom culture. OPPO entrusted her with the entire Mother’s Day campaign for the Find X9 Ultra—from ideation and copywriting to final release—essentially giving her sole control.
Worse, OPPO’s internal approval process became perfunctory. In an effort to “go viral quickly,” many projects skipped thorough reviews. Legal and values checks were mere formalities. No one questioned whether “two husbands” was appropriate, considered how parents might feel, or anticipated ethical backlash. Everyone assumed the phrase was trendy, youthful, and bound to trend. The result was immediate nationwide backlash, destroying OPPO’s carefully built premium brand image overnight.
Wuhan University’s Swift Disassociation: Not Cruel, but Clear-Sighted
After the incident, Wuhan University’s statement was criticized as heartless. But in reality, it was a textbook example of reputation management. As a top liberal arts institution, Wuhan University values its educational philosophy and academic reputation. Following recent scandals, it could not afford to be associated with this crisis. The university’s statement wisely affirmed Yu Siyue’s past good deeds (indicating the school taught the right values), condemned only this specific campaign, and urged her to correct her mistakes—preserving the university’s integrity without completely destroying the individual.
Three Critical Warnings for All Companies
This incident is not an isolated failure but a symptom of a broader industry disease. Many brands, in their rush for “youthfulness” and “virality,” have abandoned ethical marketing boundaries.
First, a prestigious school and big-name resume do not guarantee solid values. Companies must look beyond credentials when hiring. A value-deficient high-achiever can cause far more damage than an average employee.
Second, never relax internal approval, especially values checks. Creativity can soar, but boundaries cannot be breached. Any public-facing material must undergo strict values scrutiny. Once social norms are violated, even the best creativity and biggest investments become disasters.
Third, don’t mistake fandom culture for mainstream culture. Terms like “husband” may be harmless in fan circles, but in mainstream discourse, they carry moral and ethical weight. Ignoring the broader public’s emotional consensus and
