On April 29, "Lele Tea uses Lu Xun's image to promote new products" continued to ferment and detonated hot searches.
On April 23, World Book Day, Lele Tea and Yilin Publishing House launched the "Smoke Cavity Oolong" co-branded milk tea to pay tribute to the writer Lu Xun. In addition to the portrait of Lu Xun holding milk tea printed on the body of the cup, "Smoke Cavity Oolong" also launched a booklet, acrylic stand, paper bag, etc. printed with Lu Xun's portrait, and the promotional slogan of the product is "Old Smoke Cavity, New Youth". The move sparked controversy.
Source: News Morning Post
Lele Tea's "co-brand" Lu Xun caused controversy
Lu Xun's descendants issued a lawyer's letter to warn
According to the Morning News, through a two-day visit to a number of Lele tea stores in Shanghai, the reporter found that Mr. Lu Xun's image is used frequently and intensively in the offline consumption scene of milk tea shops.
However, the launch of "Smoke Cavity Oolong" has caused a lot of controversy, and some netizens pointed out that the word "Smoke Cavity" is disrespectful to Lu Xun.
Hu Baotan, author of the Shanghainese novel "Alley", believes that the term "old smoking gun" sometimes has a somewhat derogatory connotation in Shanghai's daily life. Lele Tea uses Lu Xun and his image, which makes people inevitably think of the meaning of "old smoking gun", after all, everyone has a deep impression of his smoking. The "new youth" should learn and inherit the spirit of Lu Xun, not the "smoke cavity" mentioned by Lele Cha.
Teacher Ding Dimeng, an expert in Shanghainese and associate professor of the Department of Chinese at Shanghai University, believes that after this "old smoking gun" uses the alias "cavity", it is a bit ridiculous, and it is okay to make a joke, but it is inappropriate to publicize it in public and involve celebrities.
Senior commentator He Zhenhua also said when he saw the tweet title of the joint event, "World Book Day, Tribute to Lu Xun Literature": "It's not appropriate, such a title is inappropriate, and it is obviously disrespectful to Mr. Big." ”
Mr. Zhou Lingfei, the eldest grandson of Lu Xun and the president of the Lu Xun Cultural Foundation, said that Shanghai Zhu Miaochun Law Firm has issued a lawyer's letter to Lelecha and Jiangsu Yilin Publishing House Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Jiangsu Yilin).
According to the lawyer's letter, the co-branded products related to "Smoke Cavity Oolong (Ebony Fragrance)" are based on the portrait of Lu Xun holding a teacup on the grounds of paying tribute to Lu Xun's literature, supplemented by the content of Lu Xun's creative articles, which has a clear direction, and the general public can associate the co-branded products with Mr. Lu Xun without any hesitation. Lu Xun's family, as Lu Xun's close relatives, enjoy the right to request the protection of the deceased's personality interests in accordance with the law. Authorized by Lu Xun's family, Lu Xun Cultural Foundation has the right to deal with Mr. Lu Xun's personality rights, including the right to name, portrait and reputation. Both have the right to safeguard the personality interests of Mr. Lu Xun after his death. The spirit of Lu Xun is a brilliant treasure of our Chinese culture, and Shanghai Chatian Catering Management Co., Ltd. and Jiangsu Yilin Publishing House Co., Ltd. used Lu Xun's portrait without permission, and its commercial profit purpose and nature are clear, and it is not based on the reasonable use of social and public interests, which has exceeded the scope permitted by law.
Accordingly, Lu Xun's family and Lu Xun Cultural Fund demanded that Lelecha and Jiangsu Yilin should immediately cease infringing on Lu Xun's portrait rights upon receipt of this letter, that Lelecha and Jiangsu Yilin should clarify the facts, eliminate the impact, and apologize in the corresponding national media and official WeChat public accounts for 10 consecutive days within 5 days from the date of receipt of this letter; finally, Lelecha and Jiangsu Yilin should contact the lawyer for compensation immediately after receiving this letter.
Lele Tea publicly apologized
Lawyer: The publisher hasn't come forward yet
The clerks of many Lele Tea stores said that the "smoke cavity oolong" cups and related peripherals in many stores have been sold out on the 27th, and all stores now no longer sell cups and peripherals printed with Lu Xun's image.
On April 28, the joint tweet on April 23 of Lelecha's official public account has been deleted, and the promotional copy of other official channels has also disappeared. The relevant person in charge of Lele Tea said that Lele Tea has removed the relevant propaganda and peripherals from the shelves.
On April 29, Lelecha issued a statement apologizing to Mr. Lu Xun, Mr. Lu Xun's relatives and the Lu Xun Cultural Foundation for "infringing on Mr. Lu Xun's portrait rights". The full text is as follows:
According to Jimu News, Lu Xun's family and Zhu Miaochun, a lawyer entrusted by the Lu Xun Cultural Foundation, responded to reporters that after the official WeChat public account of "Lele Tea LELECHA" released relevant articles on the 23rd, the relevant personnel of the Lu Xun Cultural Foundation contacted him and asked to send a lawyer's letter. On the 24th, after they sent a lawyer's letter to Lelecha and Yilin Publishing House, the relevant staff of Lelecha contacted the lawyer on the 25th, saying that this practice was indeed inappropriate, and the relevant products were quickly removed from the shelves. "Lele Tea's attitude is still good, and we will not pursue legal responsibility at present, and we are still negotiating how to properly resolve this matter. But Yilin Publishing House has not yet come forward. Lawyer Zhu Miaochun said.
On April 29, Lele Tea's official applet showed that the "Smoke Cavity Oolong" can still be purchased normally, but the cup used is the ordinary cup of Lele Tea, not the cup printed with Lu Xun's image.
According to the official website, Lele Tea was established in 2016 in Wujiaochang, Shanghai. According to public information, Lele Tea has had several rounds of financing, and Wang Sicong's Pulse Capital has participated in the Pre-A round and is still one of its shareholders, holding about 2.69% of the shares.
The daily economic news is synthesized from Orange Persimmon Interactive, Morning News, Southern Metropolis Daily, Jimu News, Global Network, public information, etc