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Honor's Hong Kong Ad Hijacks Apple Store for Smartphone Push

MacRumors •
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Images spreading on Chinese platforms show an Honor‑branded advertising truck parked directly in front of the Apple Canton Road store in Hong Kong, touting the new Honor 600 series smartphone. The vehicle’s graphics read “It’s our HONOR” and “orange to orange,” riffing on the “apples to apples” idiom while flaunting a finish that mirrors Apple’s upcoming iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange.

Honor, which split from Huawei in 2020 before being sold to sidestep U.S. sanctions, appears to be leveraging the high‑traffic retail location to position its mid‑range phone as a direct visual competitor. By echoing Apple’s signature orange hue, the campaign blurs the line between homage and copy, prompting observers to question whether the stunt skirts trademark norms. The ad displays the phone’s dual‑camera array prominently.

Apple is unlikely to issue a formal complaint, fearing that a public rebuke would amplify the guerrilla effort. For consumers, the incident underscores how fiercely brands will fight for visual parity in saturated markets, especially as Chinese manufacturers chase premium aesthetics. The episode serves as a reminder that storefronts remain potent stages for unsanctioned publicity and can spark legal scrutiny.