近日，西貝及其長期合作夥伴「華與華」再度陷入輿論漩渦。起因是多個由華與華設計的標誌，被指與國外知名品牌的LOGO過於相似，引發「抄襲」與「撞臉」的爭議。事件的曝光，讓外界重新檢視西貝與華與華這對組合，也折射出中國部分所謂「old money」企業的傲慢姿態，以及與當下市場節奏逐漸脫節的現實困境。

作為一家營銷公司，華與華曾被視為「符號營銷」的典範。它用十年的時間，成功將西貝從一家餐飲品牌包裝為「高端餐飲」的代名詞，並憑藉「閉著眼睛點，樣樣都好吃」、「家有寶貝，就吃西貝」等廣告語，迅速塑造出強烈的品牌記憶點。在這個過程中，華與華自身的品牌價值與聲量也隨之水漲船高。

然而，隨著「預製菜」問題的爆發，外界對西貝的質疑不斷累積。許多人難以相信，華與華在長達十年的合作裡，真的對西貝菜品背後的真相「毫不知情」。如果華與華僅僅依靠「超級符號」讓品牌跳脫同質化競爭，卻無法幫助品牌打牢產品根基，那麼這樣的營銷模式終將面臨反噬。符號背後若缺乏真實價值的支撐，消費者最終會用腳投票。

理論上，這應該是華杉（華與華創始人）需要警惕並反思的地方。然而，他似乎被「十年六千萬，未來十年一到兩億」的高額顧問費蒙蔽了判斷，不僅沒有正視自身的短板與漏洞，反而在「西羅之爭」（指西貝與羅某的市場爭論）中貿然下場，徹底暴露了其戰略上的短視與專業的局限。

整體來看，這場「LOGO撞臉」事件，不僅僅是一次品牌形象的危機，更是對華與華整套符號營銷哲學的一次現實拷問。它提醒人們：營銷可以製造聲量，但若缺乏產品價值與誠信支撐，最終將被時代與市場所淘汰。

Recently, the long-standing partnership between the Chinese restaurant brand Xibei and its marketing consultant Huayu Hua (Hua & Hua) has once again come under fire. The controversy erupted after several brand logos designed by Hua & Hua were found to bear striking similarities to those of well-known international companies, sparking accusations of plagiarism and unoriginality. This incident has not only damaged the reputations of both sides but also highlighted what many see as the arrogance of China’s so-called “old money” enterprises, as well as their growing disconnect from today’s market realities.

As a marketing agency, Hua & Hua was once hailed as a pioneer of “symbol marketing.” Over the course of ten years, it successfully rebranded Xibei from a regional food chain into what many perceived as a “high-end dining” label. Slogans such as “Order with your eyes closed, everything is delicious” and “If there’s a child at home, eat at Xibei” became widely recognizable, strengthening the restaurant’s brand recall. At the same time, Hua & Hua’s own reputation and value in the consulting industry rose dramatically.

However, when revelations about Xibei’s reliance on pre-prepared food came to light, public trust began to erode. Many found it hard to believe that after a decade of close cooperation, Hua & Hua had been unaware of such issues. If “super symbols” can help a brand stand out in advertising but fail to reinforce its product quality, then such a strategy is bound to backfire. Without genuine value supporting the brand’s image, consumer confidence will inevitably collapse.

In theory, this should have been a moment for Hua & Hua’s founder, Hua Shan, to pause and reflect. Instead, observers argue that he has been blinded by lucrative consulting contracts worth “60 million yuan over ten years, and another 100–200 million projected for the next decade.” Rather than acknowledging vulnerabilities in the company’s strategy, he rashly waded into the “Xibei vs. Luo” dispute, an episode that critics say exposed both his short-sightedness and the professional limits of his approach.

In essence, the “logo plagiarism” scandal is more than just a branding mishap. It serves as a sharp critique of Hua & Hua’s entire philosophy of symbol marketing. The case underscores a sobering truth: while clever marketing can generate visibility and hype, without authentic value and integrity at its core, a brand will ultimately be rejected by both the market and the times.