LG H&H is facing a crisis due to gender issues. The company recently posted an advertisement collaborating with an influencer involved in a controversy over male hatred on social media (SNS), which it quickly deleted amid backlash claiming that this act disregarded its primary customer base, women, resulting in a boycott movement from both male and female consumers. There have also been shortages of similar products from other companies.
As of 9 a.m. on the 14th, the number of followers on LG H&H's official 'Let's Wash Our Feet' account on X (formerly Twitter) has decreased to around 47,000. 'Let's Wash Our Feet' refers to a cleaning product that is sprayed on the feet. Compared to just three days ago, when the count exceeded 70,000 and was considered one of the most successful official brand accounts on X, this represents a sharp decline. X is an application (app) popular among female users in their 10s and 20s.
The spread of criticism on SNS regarding 'Let's Wash Our Feet' is attributed to LG H&H's involvement in gender issues. The advertisement created in collaboration with an influencer drew allegations of male hatred, leading to its quick deletion. This response faced backlash from some female consumers who deemed it discriminatory.
The controversy began when LG H&H collaborated on an advertisement for 'Let's Wash Our Feet' with the influencer Jin-soo, who had previously been involved in a male hatred controversy. This influencer posted the advertisement on the 7th, prompting questions from some male-dominated communities regarding past comments where he said, "Men below 160 cm should not expect introductions from women," raising issues of misogyny.
As opposition and boycott movements surged, particularly from male-dominated communities, LG H&H's customer service stated, "We oppose any form of social hatred, prejudice, or discrimination that incites conflict." Subsequently, the advertisement was immediately deleted, and on the 12th, an apology was issued on official SNS stating, "In dismay, we agreed with the account to delete the advertisement."
However, this response has led to backlash from female consumers. The primary consumer base for 'Let's Wash Our Feet' is women, and the reaction to male-dominated community opinions was immediate, while the lack of respect for women's opinions was cited as a reason. There are also reactions questioning whether the influencer's remarks about preferences for shorter men constituted 'hate speech' to a level that warranted the company's decision to delete the advertisement.
Some female consumers revisited the past incident where they had contacted LG H&H to take action regarding its product 'Pong Pong' being used as a misogynistic expression during the controversy surrounding the Naver webtoon 'This World is Pong Pong Man,' without receiving a response.
'Pong Pong' is a representative dishwashing detergent brand of LG H&H. Recently, it has also been used in a context suggesting that men who marry women with dating experience should do the dishes, which carries a misogynistic connotation. This has led to some questioning whether LG H&H's stance of opposing hatred, prejudice, and discrimination conflicts with the notion that it applies only to men.
Some female consumers are actively engaging in a boycott movement against not only 'Let's Wash Our Feet' but also LG H&H products and subsidiary brands, sharing alternatives from other companies. Consequently, a similar product from Dermabi, a foot shampoo, faced a temporary shortage on platforms such as Naver Smart Store.
Industry insiders point out that in an era where gender issues are sensitive, corporations need to be cautious about responding only to specific community reactions in times of crisis. They criticize LG H&H, which primarily focuses on household and beauty products and has a larger female consumer base, for its approach as a blunder at the corporate level.
In recent times, as gender conflicts have become more extreme, reflecting only one side's opinions can provoke strong backlash from the opposing consumer demographic. Therefore, corporations should focus on responding with consideration for the sentiments of all consumers rather than rushing to resolve temporary controversies and should prioritize long-term brand image building.
Cultural critic Kim Heon-sik noted, "LG H&H's response was a bit hasty" and suggested that there should have been measures that reflected the perspectives of its primary consumer base, which is female. He further stated that corporations should establish processes that effectively respond to sensitive gender issues rather than merely focusing on immediate reactions.