The founder and chief executive of a menswear company has issued a public mea culpa after the firm sent a promotional email with a profane and offensive subject line on the eve of the Thanksgiving holiday.
A Crude Black Friday Promotion
On November 26, the Shanghai-based brand XSuit dispatched a marketing email to customers promoting a 45 percent off Black Friday sale. The message, however, was immediately condemned for its shocking subject line: 'Grow the f*** up,' which was accompanied by a fire emoji.
The aggressive tactic, intended to cut through the noise of sale season, backfired spectacularly, prompting swift criticism from recipients who found it disrespectful and entirely out of step with the brand's professed values of confidence and integrity.
The CEO's Full Responsibility
Later that same evening, around 8pm, XSuit founder and CEO Maximilien Perez released a direct apology. 'I'm writing to apologize for the email you received earlier today,' he began, acknowledging the subject line was 'unprofessional, disrespectful, and completely at odds with' the company's identity.
Perez offered no excuses and shifted no blame. 'That's on me,' he stated plainly. He emphasised that it did not matter which team member created the provocative message, as the ultimate responsibility lay with him. 'As the founder, I take full responsibility for what goes out under the xSuit name,' he wrote.
Brand Values Versus Marketing Misstep
The apology delved into the core contradiction of the incident. Perez noted the brand was built to be 'confident without being arrogant, innovative without being complicated, sharp without being cold.' Sending a crude message in a bid to be edgy, he admitted, was hypocritical.
'You deserve better,' Perez continued. 'If you trust us with your time and attention, you deserve marketing that reflects the actual values we claim to stand for. Not something designed to shock or offend in the name of getting noticed.' He committed to reviewing internal processes to prevent a repeat and thanked customers for holding the brand accountable, stating 'that matters.'
Founded in 2017, XSuit sells its travel-friendly suits for approximately $500. Perez, whose father spent over 40 years in China, leveraged his language skills to build the overseas company. In a past interview, he cited the best business advice he ever received was to never take things personally and highlighted his ability to disconnect from work at home.
Online reaction to the brand's products is mixed. While the company boasts over seven thousand five-star reviews, some Reddit users criticise the suits' construction, with one calling a $500 price tag 'highway robbery.' Others, however, are strong advocates, praising the fit and functionality for their needs.
This marketing blunder serves as a stark reminder of the fine line brands walk during high-pressure sales periods and the significant reputational damage a single misguided message can cause.
