Beijing's new advertising law offers consumer protection

Nothing sells like celebrity. This is apparently what some advertisers believe. Celebrity branding has indeed become so prevalent that hardly a day goes by without actors, singers and athletes promoting just about anything and everything - cosmetics, fashion, jewellery, electronic gadgets, medication, sports gear and investment products. While this is a common phenomenon the world over, advertisers on the mainland take things further. It is not unusual to see actors endorsing fertility clinics or vocational training schools. There are even male idols promoting sanitary napkins and other female-oriented products.

It is tempting to argue that there is nothing wrong with such tactics. As long as the product is as good as it is advertised, the use of celebrities merely amplifies the message. Unfortunately, endorsement sometimes comes without the celebrities trying out the product. Consumers may get the impression that the celebrities are vouching for the quality of the product or service. In some cases products were later found to be health hazards.

It is good that the state legislature is tightening the rules. According to a revised draft of the advertising law, celebrities cannot promote products and services that they have not tried. Not only will they face punitive fines for non-compliance, those who have undermined consumers' interests may also face legal liability. Belated as it is, the change will bring the mainland advertising industry in line with those in some Western countries, which impose legal liabilities on experts and celebrities who make misleading representation or who are not bona fide users of what they are promoting.

The regulation on celebrity endorsement is only part of the much-needed reform for mainland advertising. The draft law also seeks to impose more restrictions on tobacco advertising in public places, ambiguous descriptions in housing advertisements, as well as junk messages. They are long overdue steps to give consumers the safeguards that are still woefully lacking on the mainland.