Penang donut seller apologises for inappropriate marketing in viral TikTok video

The seller of a milk donut business in Penang has issued an apology following backlash received over a recent TikTok video that has gone viral.

In an apology posted on TikTok under the username Aulaida, the seller said that the controversial video was not their original idea and that it was acted out based on instructions given to them. "For everyone's information, 'berayaq' means that the donut melts in your mouth when you eat it," said the seller.

"And to clarify, that phrase is not our tagline and that the video that recently gone viral was not our idea. We were just acting out what we were directed to do. Hopefully, this answers all your questions," he added. 

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The seller also stated that the product has been rebranded from 'Donut Susu Berayaq' (milk donut) to 'Bertanah Donut Susu'. 

"We accept all your feedback and both our accounts have been renamed to 'Bertanah'," said the seller. 

The seller also expressed regret if netizens misinterpreted their video, and said he forgives those who have given insulting comments. 

The viral video saw the seller interacting with a female customer at a stall located within a food festival. The seller is seen arching his back and moaning "mmm berayaq", with his head tilted back and his eyes rolling up. The female customer copies him, and they both continue to do the same. 

The video has since garnered backlash from netizens online who call out the seller for his sexualised marketing techniques. One user, who goes by Wan Hadi on TikTok, claims that the seller has no shame and that school children are now copying the seller's acts after the video gained virality. 

Wan added that the seller should not normalise such behaviour and that his face, which mimics an orgasm, is not needed to trend or make a product go viral. 

This isn't the first time a brand has received backlash for sexualised marketing techniques. Earlier in July this year, Malaysian actress and Muslim entrepreneur Noor Neelofa Mohd Noor (Neelofa) and her health and beauty brand Nilofa Group, saw brand sentiments plummet following the release of an ad promoting its product called 'Isterix'. 

Isrterix is a drink that claims to "increase desire for sex and repair women's internal problems." Such "problems" include vaginal dryness, vaginal discharge and difficulties in conceiving.

The now-deleted ad aims to showcase the benefits of Isterix such as an increased chest size, increased lubrication in female genitals and an increased desire and attention from husbands. 

In addition, the ad used tomatoes to represent small chests and watermelons for big chests. It also used both wet and dried apricots to show improvements in lubrication before and after using its product. 

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