Chinese beverage maker in Hainan in hot water over job ad promising recruits money, cars, houses, and ‘beautiful girls, handsome boys’

The beverage company advertised a number of roles for a management training programme that offered a 14-year pathway to the top

Authorities are investigating, however, the company claims the ad is absolutely true

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An advert by Coconut Palm Group that said that people will receive cars, houses, high incomes once they become management trainees is under investigation. Photo: Handout

Published: 8:00am, 2 Apr 2021Updated: 10:18am, 2 Apr 2021

A Chinese market supervision authority has launched an investigation into a controversial recruitment ad by a beverage manufacturer claiming new recruits will receive cars, houses, high incomes and be chased by “beautiful girls or handsome boys” once they join its management training programme.

Coconut Palm Group, based in Haikou on the tropical island of Hainan, was criticised heavily by the public after the ad appeared last week. The company has a long history of making controversial claims, including that its coconut drinks will enlarge women’s breasts.

In the advertisement recruiting people to join its “school incubating general managers and vice general managers”, the company said they will hire 20 “students”, who are de facto trainees as part of its management grooming system.

They claim that “once being its students”, people will have cars, houses, high incomes and will be “definitely wooed by beautiful girls or handsome boys”.

The company triggered controversy in 2017 by using several women with big breasts who said in its advertisement “one cup a day, white, tender and breasts chubby”.

A spokesperson from the group said they made the job advertisement with the intention of “seeking talent with eagerness”, the news portal Red Star News reported.

A previous controversial advert for the Coconut Palm drink featuring women frolicking on a beach after claims the drink would enlarge breasts. Photo: Weibo

“What we said in the advertisement is true. It’s not fake propaganda, nor an intentional hype-up,” the person was quoted as saying. “It’s no need for us to attract people’s eyes. This is the propaganda style our company has been insisting on.”