This image captured from Vivo’s Facebook account shows the Chinese smartphone manufacturer’s promotional poster.
SEOUL, June 16 (Korea Bizwire) — With BTS fever sweeping across the globe, a major smartphone manufacturer in China is under fire for the unauthorized use of seven-piece act’s name to promote a new smartphone.
China’s Vivo sparked controversy after releasing the company’s newest smartphone V21 which uses a slogan in its advertisement that makes viewers think that the phone was made in collaboration with BTS.
The advertisement, posted on Vivo’s social media account, includes the term ‘BTS’ at the center of the poster, as if to suggest that the phone was made in collaboration with the K-pop boy band.
The term, however, actually stands for ‘Be There Soon’. The other letters have been drastically sized down to emphasize the B, T and S.
The model depicted in the poster is dressed in purple to match the violet background, which happens to be the color that represents BTS.
The term ‘McDonald’s’ is also shown on the poster, as if to suggest McDonald’s newly released BTS meal. It even includes a written request to “borrow BTS”.
BTS have already released the Galaxy S20+ BTS Edition with Samsung Electronics.
According to Hybe, the company behind BTS, the group has no ongoing collaboration projects with Vivo.
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
