HYGR draws backlash for obituary-themed social post

Malaysian personal care brand HYGR has come under fire after a now-deleted social media post sparked widespread criticism, with netizens calling out its tone and execution as insensitive.

Earlier this week, the brand had shared an obituary-themed post on its social media platforms, to announce that its founder, Ivor Xian Z, would be away for a month, travelling. The post, sighted by A+M, featured visual cues such as “In Loving Memory Of”, alongside doves, blue skies, flowers and a portrait of the founder. It also read "Ivor Xian Z will be away in the US for a month" at the bottom of the image. 

The caption that paired the social post read: "With regret we would like to inform you guys..." with a sad emoji. 

According to analysis by media intelligence firm Dataxet Malaysia, overall sentiment surrounding the incident skewed heavily negative, with 85% of online conversations expressing criticism, compared to 10% neutral and just 5% positive.

At the centre of the backlash was the brand’s use of a funeral-style announcement format to communicate that its founder would be travelling. The post reportedly featured visual cues such as which many perceived as trivialising death.

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Dataxet’s breakdown found that 35% of negative commentary focused on tone-deafness and poor taste, with users pointing to the inappropriateness of such imagery amid ongoing global conflicts, wars, and humanitarian crises. Some also noted that, as founder, Xian’s involvement in marketing decisions made it difficult to dismiss the post as an oversight.

Compounding the issue was the brand’s response. Around 30% of comments centred on HYGR’s decision to remove the post and its accompanying comment threads across platforms. Rather than diffusing the situation, the move appeared to heighten suspicion, with many interpreting it as an attempt to avoid accountability. At the time of analysis, only a single Threads post remained visible, with the original content and discussions largely wiped.

Many netizen comments on Threads also pointed back to a video Ivor Xian had shared on her personal account, documenting her experience flying first class to the US, the same trip referenced in the obituary-themed post. 

The controversy has also reignited scrutiny over the brand’s past marketing decisions. Dataxet noted that 20% of commentary referenced earlier incidents, including a disputed reef-safe sunscreen claim and the first-class flight-related promotion, suggesting a broader perception of inconsistent or tone-deaf brand behaviour.

While a small minority of users viewed the post as an attempt at dark humour or participation in an existing social media trend, these perspectives accounted for just 8% of the conversation and gained limited traction.

Separately, 7% of comments raised concerns around personal safety, noting that the post disclosed the founder’s identity and travel plans, potentially exposing her to unnecessary risk.

Some comments sighted by A+M on Threads noted that while users were keen to support local brands such as HYGR, this post crossed a line.

The incident underscores the growing scrutiny brands face in navigating humour, trends and cultural sensitivity in an always-on digital landscape. As audiences become more vocal and context-aware, misjudged executions, particularly those perceived to trivialise serious themes, can quickly escalate into reputational challenges.

However, this is not the first time that HYGR's marketing plans have come under scrutiny. In April last year, Prasarana Malaysia, the parent company of LRT train operator RapidKL, HYGR's advertisement from its Ampang and Sri Petaling LRT lines following public backlash and triggering conversations around racial sensitivity.

The image was flagged by an activist, who deemed it discriminatory. The ad depicted two LRT passengers with deodorant mascots between them, alongside the line “Busuknya...” (“So smelly”). One illustrated passenger appeared to be of Indian descent, while another young man and a young schoolboy, were shown with green lines emanating from them to suggest bad odour.

Prasarana said the ad visuals were to promote personal care products, which then portrayed different daily situations which involve Malaysians from various backgrounds using public transport.

Recently in Vietnam, OATSIDE, an Asian plant-based drink brand originating from Singapore, has copped flak for a marketing campaign it carried out in Vietnam last week.

The campaign was not as straightforward as it appeared, as it was disguised as a job listing with an actual application page on LinkedIn, posted by OATSIDE Vietnam itself, which was later revealed as a marketing stunt for the brand's latest "Chief milk officer" campaign.

The move triggered anger from jobseekers and the professional community, particularly around the use of real CVs during a tough hiring climate. OATSIDE has since apologised, confirmed all applicant data has been deleted, paused the campaign and introduced new internal guardrails around “stunt” marketing.

Be part of #Content360 Malaysia, 13 May 2026, where creativity and community collide. Explore how AI-powered imagination, culturally resonant storytelling, and platform-savvy strategies are shaping the future of content. Gain practical insights, discover new tactics, and learn how the region’s top creators and brands are crafting campaigns that truly resonate

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