It has been reported that the Beijing Consumers' Association recently published a letter to celebrities and stars, suggesting they turn down work in commercials that would make them into brand ambassadors for inferior products (Shanghai Star August 26). A timely warning indeed!

The celebrities and stars increasingly filling our TV screens promoting products have long been a controversial issue. It seems the trend of taking on celebrities as marketing vehicles in advertising is still in full swing and will likely continue well into the future.

And we may expect to see a spurt of more famous personalities on the screen singing high praises for products for which they act as spokespersons or image ambassadors or whatever. It is quite understandable though for the businesses and famous figures, especially those in the entertainment circle, to get hooked on raising an advertising fanfare promoting their products.

For the businesses, to get their companies and products better presented to the outside world, it is only logical to get someone well known to the public to play up the products, because celebrities get viewers' attention. Besides, they are more likely to lend credibility to the ads. If done properly, the publicity campaign will be answered by a better response from the public and higher sales volume.

On the other hand, some big names are only too willing to cash in on their fame to make a huge sack of money in a short time by offering just a few seconds' close-up shots to promote products. For them it is really a piece of cake. And the TV stations, too, are making handsome profits by doing nothing more than squeezing the commercials into their normal programmes (maybe to the annoyance of the audience). It is surely a triple-win situation.

Actually there is nothing wrong with the zeal to create commercials, so long as the alliance between the three parties is not at the expense of the audience. That means consumers should be assured that there are no dressed-up business traps on the screen and what the celebrities claim in the ads is trustworthy. Above all else, the interests of the consumers should be paramount. I believe that is the main reason for the issuance of the BCA's public letter.

To protect people from being misled by false blurbs, the business airing the spots should learn to be self-disciplined and refrain from hawking inferior or counterfeit products in the first place. It is especially a matter of life and death when it comes to medical services and medicines and health care products as was underscored in the letter. We have had enough tragic stories about the harm sham ads have done to their victims and the fear they have spread among the public.

As for public icons contracted to pitch for products on the screen, they must be extremely careful about what they are going to say. At the very least they should speak the truth and not twist facts.

Marketers use celebrities in the belief that the buyers can relate to and have faith in them. However, celebrities, like some other members of society, do not always have the integrity we hope they do. Some do not live up to the trust lavished on them by their fans. More often than not, they appear persuasively eloquent in their blurbs yet they actually know nothing about what they urge viewers to buy. Or they falsely claim to have benefited from use of the products they never use.

Fortunately, relevant laws and regulations are being worked out to dissuade those stars from irresponsible conduct.

Though it is advised in the letter that celebrities should be obliged to investigate the quality of products before promoting them, it would be, technically speaking, difficult or even impossible for them to get to know the basics of the commodities, even though they do conduct an inquiry or investigation into the details. Not all celebrities are experts. Only a specialist in a specified field is professionally qualified to make a comment on the product or service related to that field.

Probably the best bet for the famous figures is not to dabble in realms beyond their depth, especially when people's health is at stake. They must not talk rubbish at the sight of profit. That may explain why some prominent celebrities declare they will never go advertising for commercial purposes.

So I think it is advisable to just look upon the commercials as a mini-sketch in which your cult figures are only uttering a monologue line designed by the corporate literati. Anyway their acting is enjoyable. When it comes to an actual purchase, however, the decision should better be made based on your own observation, and not the big talk of your favourite idols.

Celebrities, especially well known actors and actresses, are usually admired, or even worshipped by some. With the proliferation of the entertainment industry, stars will have more arenas for exposure in commercials. We hope they will boost their appeal not only by their superb acting skill but also with their credibility and excellent character.

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