Weilong's 'wanna hook up?' latiao packs — apology after innuendo backlash

In late March 2022, Chinese consumers noticed slogans printed on some Weilong latiao (spicy snack) packaging — '约吗?' ('wanna hook up?'), '贼大' ('freakin' big'), '强硬' ('extra firm') — and called the copy vulgar innuendo marketing. Weilong, China's best-known latiao brand, found the dispute on national hot search lists within days.

The early response played it down: a customer-service agent reportedly said the copy 'has no other meaning'. On March 25, the Luohe city market regulator in Henan, where Weilong is based, said it would refer the matter to the district office for investigation, and Weilong told the press it would cooperate with the probe.

On March 30, Weilong's official Weibo account '卫龙美味' apologized: it took netizens' and consumers' opinions seriously, decided to stop production of the disputed packaging, and would optimize the copy and design across the affected packs.

From 'cooperating with the probe' to 'deeply sorry' took five days. For a brand whose products sit in students' snack drawers, innuendo copy bought social buzz and paid for it with a national cautionary tale.