Wei Jianjun Apologizes for WEY V9X Poster Plagiarism Incident Involving Land Rover

[Brand PR] Great Wall Motor Chairman Wei Jianjun publicly apologized for the plagiarism of Land Rover Range Rover's advertising concept in the promotional poster for the WEY V9X.

Crisis Response: Chairman Personally Apologizes Within 24 Hours

On the evening of March 6, Wei Jianjun released a video acknowledging that the WEY V9X promotional poster had plagiarized content, and he apologized to Land Rover and the original designer, pledging to assume full legal and financial responsibility. From the release of the controversial poster on March 5 to the public apology, only 24 hours elapsed, swiftly containing the escalation of public backlash.

Brand Interaction: Land Rover’s Tactful Response Earns Praise

On March 7, the official Land Rover Range Rover account responded with: “Sincerity and accountability are the best endorsements,” and extended well wishes for Great Wall Motor’s continued success. The friendly interaction between both parties in the comment sections turned a negative incident into an opportunity to enhance brand reputation.

Industry Impact: Respecting Originality Becomes the Baseline for Marketing

This incident highlights automakers’ growing emphasis on original design. WEY CEO Zhao Yongpo also issued an apology simultaneously, announced the removal of all involved materials, and stressed that “inspiration can be drawn from others, but originality must be respected.”