Smartphone manufacturer OPPO said on Monday it had imposed strict penalties on senior executives responsible for its China market, including Senior Vice-President Duan Yaohui, following backlash over a controversial Mother's Day marketing campaign, and issued a fresh apology acknowledging "serious shortcomings" in its values and judgment.

The controversy stems from a promotional campaign released on Friday that drew criticism online for a line suggesting a mother had "two husbands" — her actual husband and the other her celebrity idol, whom she sees only twice a year but dresses up to meet.

Some netizens said the phrasing was inappropriate and misleading, while others defended it as a form of internet humor.

OPPO had issued an initial apology on Friday and removed the materials, saying the campaign was intended to portray more diverse and multidimensional images of modern mothers, who may enjoy running marathons, engaging in literary creation and following their favorite celebrities.

In its latest statement, the company said both the offensive nature of the campaign and its initially perfunctory response exposed a lack of respect for mainstream values.

It admitted that in chasing online traffic, it had "lost its original intention" on a holiday meant to celebrate maternal affection, and failed to respond to early public criticism in a sincere and open manner.

The company said it will launch a comprehensive internal review and restructure its content review process to ensure adherence to widely accepted social norms.

On Sunday afternoon, the School of Chinese Language and Literature at Wuhan University in Hubei province, said in a statement posted on its official Sina Weibo account that it was "shocked" by the campaign, which was created by a team led by a former student surnamed Yu.

The school said Yu was known for "upright thinking" during her studies and had once been praised for helping an elderly passenger on a bus. However, it said the Mother's Day copy produced by the team "seriously contradicts" the school's longstanding educational principles.

"We strongly disagree with the content, especially the use of sensational wordplay, exaggerated language and the values conveyed," the statement said, urging the alumnus to face public criticism sincerely and, together with the company, take responsibility.

In a separate post, Wuhan University said it "does not agree at all" with the advertisement's wording and value orientation, calling it inconsistent with the institution's emphasis on moral education.

Also on Sunday, the China Advertising Association warned against a growing tendency among some brands to seek attention using controversial or lowbrow content, urging companies to distinguish between genuine innovation and "hype" that crosses ethical boundaries.

"Creativity can be novel, but it must not violate traditional family values," the association said.

China Women's News also said that while creative marketing is encouraged, it must not cross ethical boundaries or deviate from widely shared social values.

It noted that the use of fan culture slang — in which admirers refer to celebrities as "husband" — ignored differences in meaning across contexts and risked offending public perceptions of motherhood, adding that innovation should be grounded in respect and responsibility.