The public are once again waggling their fingers at celebrities
who misuse their star power and appear in ads that make false or
misleading claims about their products.
The debate was ignited after Beijing Consumers' Association
harshly criticized a famous Chinese artist for appearing in false
ads.
The Association has issued an open letter warning celebrities
they need to take responsibility for their actions and approach all
advertising work with caution.
But an article on the Sina web portal argues the open letter is
not enough because it doesn't carry the weight of the law. It says
this is the third open letter the Beijing Consumers' Association
has issued but they haven't stopped some celebrities from appearing
in fake ads.
It says celebrities should have a legal obligation to steer
clear of false promotions, just like advertisers. And it called for
relevant laws to be drafted.
?
(CRI.cn March 26, 2007)