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    Half Tones

    Family Mart Apologizes for Lewd WeChat Clickbait

    May 28, 2020

    Family Mart, one of the most successful convenience store chains in China, apologized Thursday after internet users called out one of the company’s social media accounts over a sexually suggestive publicity stunt.

    “We’re really sorry for making you uncomfortable,” Family Mart, which operates some 2,500 stores in China, wrote on its Weibo microblog. “We have undergone thorough introspection, and we will remember this painful experience as a warning.”

    On Wednesday morning, a Shanghai-registered Family Mart affiliate had published an article on its public WeChat account to promote new ice cream products. The post’s title appeared as a .AVI file name that roughly translates to “Internet Celebs’ Steamy Scenes Leaked.” The post had soon reached 100,000-plus views — the maximum number displayed on the app — but it also prompted a slew of complaints.

    Some net users revealed that this is not the first time a Family Mart WeChat account has indulged in inappropriate clickbait. In March, the company published a post titled “Baby, Open Your Mouth” to promote a new sandwich, while another post in December titled “Today, We Strip Santa Naked” was apparently supposed to introduce a new line of Christmas-themed products.

    “This is a convenience store’s account, there must be lots of old people and young children following. Is such a headline suitable?” read a popular comment below a related media report. By Thursday afternoon, the WeChat post had been deleted. (Image: Sixth Tone)