Bubble Tea Giant Pims Faces Backlash for Controversial Ad Linked to Sexual Harassment

Pims, the largest bubble tea chain in Russia, faced criticism this week due to an Instagram advertisement that many argue encourages sexual harassment.

The video depicts a man patting down a woman dressed in a short outfit against a cafe window, paired with the slogan: “The Pims police are on the lookout for those who prefer making Pims at home.”

On Wednesday, the feminist publication Kosa reported that the company later revised the caption to include “no harassment” and shared a follow-up advertisement featuring a woman patting down a male model.

Pims disabled comments on both posts, which had been shared nearly 10,000 times by Thursday afternoon.

“We turned off the comments anticipating numerous ‘unrequested opinions,’” the company stated to blogger and creative director Anastasia Khavalkina on Tuesday. “However, we do read everything and appreciate being part of the conversation,” added a PR manager.

Pims defended the ads as deliberately “provocative,” explaining that the two videos are part of a continuing “mini-series” targeted at their main audience.

These advertisements were released on Instagram at a time when reports of harassment against women in Moscow have surged, following a self-styled male dating coach encouraging his followers to grab strangers by the waist.

Founded in 2018 in Moscow, Pims has since grown to approximately 30 locations across Russia, as well as in Dubai and Bangkok.