Following controversy surrounding the use of the term “老登” (lǎo dēng, roughly translating to “old man” or “elder”) by a young product manager during the XPeng MONA L05 debut, a senior executive has stepped in to provide clarification.
XPeng VP Addresses “Old Man” Remark
Etta, a product manager born after 2000 at XPeng, issued an apology video on October 22nd after repeatedly using the term “老登” and advocating against “登味审美” (dēng wèi shěnměi, a critique of outdated aesthetics) during the launch event.
Brian Gu (托马斯电火车), Vice President of XPeng Group, shared a detailed account of the incident, emphasizing that the term “老登” was an internal jest directed at a few core team leaders and not intended for any external users. He stated that the term itself is not offensive, but rather the “登味儿” (dēng wèi er, an attitude associated with the term) some people exhibit is what causes annoyance. Gu also called for less criticism directed at individuals born after 2000.
Criticism of Media Reaction
Gu expressed his disappointment with how some self-media outlets sensationalized the apology video. He noted that these outlets escalated the issue from a critique of a young product manager to a condemnation of the entire younger generation, even labeling the product launch as a “marketing stunt.” He described this reaction as “sophisticated and practiced.”
“Instead of focusing on the event itself, it’s more disheartening to see how some self-media outlets, upon the release of the apology video, acted as if they’d struck gold. They blew things out of proportion, starting from criticizing a post-2000s girl to negating an entire young demographic, and then labeling it as a product ‘marketing stunt’ – a very seasoned and skilled approach.”
To further challenge the narrative, Gu announced a “bounty” of 1 million yuan for anyone who could prove that XPeng had instigated media hype around these events. He argued that trying to fit a genuine and youthful expression into a rigid framework and assuming the worst intentions is precisely the “登味儿” that is so off-putting.
Upcoming Launch and Continued Involvement
The official launch of the MONA L05 is scheduled for next Thursday. Despite the controversy, Gu revealed that Etta will still be present at the launch event. She will join product manager Ouyang Nana and “老登 representative” He Xiaopeng (William Li, XPeng CEO) to present the product.
XPeng aims to foster an environment where diverse expressions are welcomed, particularly from younger team members, without succumbing to rigid stereotypes or malicious interpretations. The company believes that genuine and youthful communication is key to connecting with their audience.
Videos of Etta’s presentation at the MONA debut and He Xiaopeng’s live video link from Paris are available for viewing.
