A fresh wave of controversy has hit Chando after AI-generated advertisements from an authorized account were criticized for being offensive to women and amplifying beauty anxieties.

According to reports on September 9, the account "Chando Official Store Firming Peptide Essence Water" released multiple videos featuring AI-generated imagery of withering flowers and slowly deforming mushrooms, accompanied by voiceovers such as "This is what a woman consumed by excess looks like, with deep laugh lines, use ice compresses; sagging face, use ice compresses." The content was used to promote the brand's firming and anti-wrinkle toner.

Across the series of videos, phrases like "This is the secret to why a woman at 40 can still attract men" and "No man likes a woman with a sagging and aged face" appeared repeatedly. The messaging tied the purpose of female skincare to validation from the opposite sex, implying that women with aging or less-than-ideal skin would lose male attention.

In response, some consumers voiced outrage, with one saying, "There's no bottom line when it comes to grabbing attention," while others questioned, "Is the brand really using disrespect toward women as a traffic tactic?" As public opinion intensified, the controversial videos were taken down entirely.

Addressing the situation, a customer service representative from Chando's official store stated, "We have already taken immediate action on the related issues."

Notably, the incident comes at a critical time as Chando makes its second attempt to list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The company first filed its IPO application in September 2024, and after no progress for six months, it resubmitted with updated financial materials in April 2025.

According to the prospectus, Chando's total revenue surpassed RMB 5.318 billion in 2024, a year-on-year increase of 15.6%. Net profit attributable to the parent company reached RMB 351 million, up 84.8%, while gross margin improved to 70.6%.

Behind the impressive gross margin, however, lies consistently high marketing spending. The prospectus shows that from 2022 to 2024, Chando's sales and marketing expenses were RMB 2.406 billion, RMB 2.717 billion, and RMB 3.044 billion respectively, totaling over RMB 8.1 billion over the three years. The marketing expense ratios for those years stood at 54.2%, 59.0%, and 57.2%.