IT Home, October 22 news: Today, Xiaopeng Motors' post-2000s product manager, Etta, released an apology video after repeatedly using the term "old man" during the debut launch of the Xiaopeng MONA L05 and urging people to reject "old-man aesthetics."
In the video, she explained that "Lao Deng" was a term used jokingly by herself and her team members, not intended to be offensive, but acknowledged that it had caused discomfort for some people. She apologized and said she would take time to reflect seriously on the matter.
The controversial remarks occurred during the pre-sale launch event for Xpeng MONA L05 on October 15, when He Xiaopeng, after connecting remotely from Paris, handed the stage over to a young product team. When Etta took the stage to present, her lively style and striking appearance earned her the nickname "most beautiful product manager" among netizens.
In fact, the design of this launch event itself carries a clear communication intent. According to XPeng, 54% of the MONA product team are Gen Z (born 1995–1999), and 39% are Gen Alpha (born 2000–2009). Previously, He Xiaopeng revealed that nearly half of the product managers are Gen Alpha, and they led the presentation of the product’s philosophy.
The issue arose when this expression, originally intended as a joke, entered public circulation and caused widespread unintended harm. A Weibo user pointed out that the product manager repeatedly used the term "old man" in a derogatory manner, "attempting to achieve goals by belittling a certain group"; others commented that while such language might be acceptable in private, "when disseminated across platforms at a press conference, the original intent is easily misunderstood."
A more direct backlash stemmed from criticism of XPeng’s marketing strategy: a launch event tagged as “anti-elderly” was criticized by some viewers as “precisely the most elderly brand among all new energy vehicles.”
Related reading:
Xiaopeng MONA L05 opens pre-sales starting at RMB 169,800, with official launch on October 29.