At the Aug 16 BYD Leopard Fan Event, Li Yapeng spoke a pun, sparking warm audience response. BYD's endorsement picks value long-term reputation over fleeting traffic.
On August 16, at the BYD Leopard Owners’ Conference, as soon as Li Yapeng made the pun “Good people deserve a good Leopard,” the audience erupted in enthusiastic applause.
As a leading company in China’s new energy vehicle sector, BYD has always maintained strict criteria for selecting brand ambassadors; past partners have consistently been public figures with high visibility and significant influence within the industry.The official announcement of this partnership with Li Yapeng—who has been out of the public eye for some time and has long been running a bed-and-breakfast in Yunnan—sparked widespread discussion within the industry, with many speculating about the financial terms of the deal.
Li Yapeng first gained public recognition through a number of martial arts-themed films and TV series. After transitioning into business, however, several of his entrepreneurial ventures failed to meet expectations, and he has long been the subject of public controversy.While others might have long since chosen to fade from the public eye, Li Yapeng, after ceasing public updates on his personal social media platforms, devoted himself entirely to running his bed-and-breakfast. Over the past few years, he has maintained a low profile, avoiding public disputes and negative remarks, and has consistently adhered to his own code of conduct.Many who follow Li Yaping had assumed he would remain out of the public eye from then on.
Surprisingly, on August 2, Li Yaping had just completed the ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new location in Kunming,just 12 days after the media cameras had left. On August 14, BYD’s Fangchengbao officially announced their partnership, and two days later, he appeared at the “Leopard Friends” conference, where his remarks quickly went viral online.
It was only then that the
public gradually realized that Li Yapeng hadn’t been in a slump or withdrawn from the public eye in recent years, but had instead been focusing on his current life with a calm and steady mindset. The public goodwill he has garnered has been slowly built up through his daily interactions, without any deliberate marketing or packaging.From the official announcement to its implementation, this collaboration was free of any unnecessary hype. Both the audience’s on-site feedback and public reviews online were overwhelmingly positive. It is clear that BYD’s logic in selecting partners has never been driven solely by short-term traffic; fleeting trends are far less stable than the reputation for integrity built up over the long term.A good reputation is the core value that carries the most weight.
The
saying “good deeds are rewarded” does not mean that you’ll receive an immediate, equal return for your efforts. Rather, it means that even when you’re at a low point in life, you remain true to yourself, don’t just go with the flow, and do every task with diligence. Only then, when opportunity knocks, will you have built up enough experience and capability to seize it.
As for the amount of compensation for collaborations—which has never been disclosed—it really isn’t that important. Over the years, I’ve seen too many people abandon their principles and damage their own reputations for the sake of petty, short-term gains, only to find that, in the end, the costs far outweigh the benefits.There’s no need to dwell excessively on momentary gains or losses. Be a person of integrity and do your work conscientiously—the character you build will ultimately become your true source of confidence.
