The Leica Brazil incident occurred in 2019 when a controversial advertisement released by the Brazilian branch of Leica Camera AG caused significant backlash in China. The ad, titled “The Hunt,” depicted a dramatic re-enactment of a photojournalist’s experiences during the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, culminating in a reference to the iconic “Tank Man” photo. This image, symbolizing defiance against the Chinese government during the pro-democracy protests, is highly censored in China.
The advertisement was intended to honor photojournalists who risk their lives to show the truth, but the sensitive nature of the content angered Chinese citizens and authorities. Many Chinese social media users condemned Leica, demanding the company leave China. In response, Chinese authorities banned the use of the word “Leica” on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform similar to Twitter. Posts containing “Leica” received warnings for violating laws or guidelines, and the ad was rapidly removed from official channels.
Leica quickly distanced itself from the video, stating that it had not authorized or commissioned the ad. The company expressed regret over the confusion and emphasized that the content was produced by Leica Brazil’s advertising agency, F/Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi, without approval from Leica’s global headquarters. Despite the agency’s claim that it had worked with Leica for years and received approval for previous projects, Leica took legal action to prevent further dissemination of the video oai_citation:2,Leica brings Beijing into focus – Global Times oai_citation:1,This Leica Video Just Got ‘Leica’ Banned in China | PetaPixel.