Chinese men are being encouraged to donate sperm in order to earn enough money to buy the latest iPhone, according to reports.

The adverts, from sperm banks in several provinces including Shanghai, Hubei and Jiangsu, have been taking social media by storm this week.



“No need to sell a kidney ... Shanghai sperm bank can make your iPhone 6S dream come true,” says one ad from the Shanghai Sperm Bank, which has been widely circulated online.



The reference to selling kidneys has become synonymous with Apple enthusiasts ever since a 17-year-old student from Hunan sold one of his kidneys on the black market for 22,000 yuan (£2,224) in 2011 to buy an iPhone and iPad.



Several reports of people trying to sell their kidneys to buy Apple products have emerged lately with one man even going missing following a failed organ sale.



Sperm banks are hoping the pitch, which comes ahead of the release of the iPhone 6S on 25 September, will help fix a shortage in donors.



The Shanghai Sperm Bank is promising 6,000 yuan for 17 millilitres of semen for those who qualify to donate. Donors needs to be university educated, disease-free and over 5 foot 5.



“This is going to make me really suspicious of anyone with an iPhone 6S” said one user on Weibo, China’s Twitter.



“Wow I hope it’s real, no need to give away a kidney for any Apple products now!” wrote another.



According to a spokesperson with the Shanghai Sperm Bank, the campaign has worked well so far, raising awareness and attracting potential donors, the state news agency Xinhua reported.



A poll conducted on Sina Weibo shows that Chinese social media users are split on the appropriateness of the campaign with close to 20% calling it unseemly and another 27% saying they will donate immediately.



“I need the address to Hubei Sperm Bank now please” said one user.

Additional reporting Amber Ziye Wang