Rain Technology reported on June 26 that recently, the Chinese betel nut brand Chengtianxia jointly named Bentley (Guangzhou), launched the Hechengtianxia & Bentley joint gift box, which caused heated discussions on the Internet.
According to media reports, Bentley responded that the joint product and related activities have no connection with the Bentley brand and its authorized dealers in China, and have not obtained any form of authorization or recognition from the Bentley brand.
Bentley said that the application of the Bentley brand logo in this offline event and online communication has not been approved by the Bentley brand.
The Bentley brand reserves the right to take corresponding legal measures to safeguard the brand’s legitimate rights and interests.
Data shows that betel nut is the fruit of the evergreen tree of the tropical Palmaceae family. When chewing, betel nut will release betel nutine. It can stimulate the nerve center to produce euphoria, so it has become one of the locals’ favorite chewing snacks.
As early as 2004, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a subsidiary of the World Health Organization, listed betel nut as a first-class carcinogen.
Study shows that long-term excessive chewing of betel nut can lead to oral cancer, and may lead to esophageal cancer, liver cancer, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, periodontal diseases, tooth defects, temporomandibular joint damage, jaw morphology and function abnormalities, and its addictiveness can even lead to anemia, adverse pregnancy and acute severe asthma.
With the increase in public health awareness and the popularization of the dangers of betel nut, controversy over betel nut has been ongoing. Recently, the joint gift box of the Chinese betel nut brand “Cheng Tianxia” and Bentley (Guangzhou) quickly attracted widespread attention as soon as it was launched. However, the development of things was unexpected. Bentley’s official quickly issued a statement to clear away any connection with this, which cast a shadow on the seemingly high-end cross-border cooperation.
Bentley’s response was very clear, pointing out that this joint campaign and products were not authorized or recognized by the brand. Not only that, Bentley also emphasized that the use of its brand logo in the event was not allowed and the right to take legal measures is reserved. This means that Chengtianxia may face infringement charges, and consumers’ trust in this joint product will undoubtedly be greatly reduced.
It is worth noting that in sharp contrast to Bentley’s separation of relationship is the controversy of betel nut itself. As a food that is classified as a first-class carcinogen by the World Health Organization, the safety of betel nut has been questioned. Even though there is a tradition of eating betel nut in some areas, its potential health risks cannot be ignored. Long-term chewing betel nut has a clear correlation with many diseases such as oral cancer.
Therefore, this joint incident inevitably makes people wonder: Why is a car brand known for its high-end luxury “connected” with a product with a risk of cancer? Is there any commercial negligence or misleading behind this? Or is this just an unauthorized marketing practice? Regardless of the truth, this incident once again pushed the controversy over betel nut to the spotlight, and also reminded companies to carefully evaluate the reputation and product risks of their partners when conducting brand cooperation to avoid negative impacts on their own brand image. At the same time, consumers are also reminded that they need to look at such co-branded products more rationally and do not blindly pursue brand effects and ignore potential health risks.
