With a population of 1.38 billion people, tapping the massive China market is the goal of many brands. But a new micro-movie from Sands Resorts Macao featuring its brand ambassador and ex-soccer star David Beckham has drawn criticism online because he speaks Mandarin, the official language of China, and not Cantonese. In Macau and Hong Kong (combined population: 8 million) Cantonese, which is a Chinese variant, is widely spoken.
The advert set in Macau, features Beckham and film stars from China and Hong Kong including Qiao Shan, Lam Suet and Helena Law, on a quest to find the perfect egg tart – a delicacy of Portuguese origin for which Macau, a former Portuguese territory, is famous.