Xiaomi apologises after backlash over planned outreach to influencer hostile to Mi Fans

Chinese technology giant Xiaomi has found itself in the middle of a growing trust crisis after reports revealed that its marketing team had approached a controversial tech influencer who is known for publicly insulting the company’s own user base. Although the collaboration never materialised, the news alone was enough to ignite widespread outrage among Xiaomi’s loyal fan community, known as Mi Fans.

The controversy broke on Chinese social media platform Weibo on January 5, when users began circulating claims that Xiaomi had been in talks with Wanneng de Daxiong, a polarising influencer with a long history of hostile comments about Xiaomi customers. His past remarks include calling Mi Fans “negative assets” and suggesting that they, rather than Xiaomi itself, would “die off” in the long run.

Many fans saw the reported outreach as a betrayal of Xiaomi’s long-standing “Just for Fans” philosophy. Comment sections on the Weibo pages of senior executives were soon flooded with angry posts, with users accusing the company of trying to monetise a figure who had repeatedly mocked and abused them.

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Later that evening, Xiaomi issued an emergency response. In a post on Weibo, the company’s head of public relations, Xu Jieyun, confirmed that there had been contact with the influencer but said any potential partnership had been scrapped and would not proceed. He stressed that the company cared deeply about the feelings of its fans, though the statement did little to calm the backlash.

The following day, Xiaomi disclosed the results of an internal investigation. It announced disciplinary action against those responsible for the outreach, including group vice president and chief marketing officer Xu Fei and Xu Jieyun. Both were formally criticised for management lapses, had their 2025 performance ratings downgraded and lost their annual bonuses. Staff members directly involved in the case were dismissed, according to people familiar with the matter.

Xiaomi founder, chairman and CEO Lei Jun also addressed the issue in a livestream on January 7, taking a firm stance against the influencer’s behaviour. He said that Wanneng de Daxiong had repeatedly attacked and insulted Xiaomi users and that cooperating with someone who defamed the company’s customers was unacceptable. “We will stand firmly with our users and car owners,” Lei said, adding that this was a “bottom line” Xiaomi would not cross.

The influencer at the centre of the storm is no stranger to controversy. He previously lost a defamation lawsuit filed by Lenovo, which resulted in a court-ordered public apology and financial damages. Other brands, including appliance maker Midea, have also cut ties with him in the past after public outcry.

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The timing of the episode has added to Xiaomi’s discomfort. The company is currently promoting its latest 17 Ultra smartphones and pushing ahead with its electric vehicle ambitions, including the rollout of a refreshed version of its SU7 sedan. The EV, which competes directly with Tesla’s Model 3, is central to Xiaomi’s expansion beyond consumer electronics. The company sold more than 400,000 vehicles in its first full year as an automaker, making brand loyalty and consumer trust particularly important.

While Xiaomi has moved quickly to contain the fallout, the incident highlights how fragile brand trust can be in the era of influencer marketing, especially for a company that has built much of its success on a close relationship with its most devoted users.