Shanghai-based tech entrepreneur and Tudou co-founder Marc van der Chijs was recently flabbergasted to find a picture of his daughter, Elaine, used without permission on the packaging of Halloween products on the shelves of Carrefour. He and his wife called up the company and told them to remove their daughter’s picture from the packaging… or else!
Here’s what happened subsequently, according to Marc:
The company at first tried to brush Grace off by asking for proof that Elaine was our daughter. But when she explained who she is and sent them a link to her verified Weibo account (where the case had already been discussed in detail) their tone changed immediately. They promised to change all the packaging in China before October 21.
So when we went to the opening night of the Carrefour Wine Fair yesterday we also checked out the Halloween customes there. Indeed the manufacturer had changed the packaging, but in a typical Chinese way: Instead of inserting a new cover, they had taken out all covers and cut out Elaine’s face!
I had to laugh when I saw it. For me it’s fine, but I seriously wonder if anybody would still buy a product where part of the packaging had been cut out. Only in China…
Hilarious!
