Proya’s fourth International Women’s Day campaign, “It’s Gender not Border,” intended to tackle gender prejudices, but backfired when it included two men who challenged conventional masculinity. The move sparked outrage on Weibo, with accusations of undermining Women’s Day and pandering to patriarchy being made. Despite Proya’s history of including men in its Women’s Day campaigns to break gender stereotypes, critics argued it diluted the feminist message. The brand swiftly deleted posts and recalled merchandise. The incident underscores the delicate balance brands must strike when addressing social issues in marketing and serving their audiences’ expectations.