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Stars shamed for promoting fake products

By Wang Ru (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-02-10 15:07

Five celebrities have been singled out for criticism after endorsing "phony" medicines and health foods.

The Professional Committee of Media Shopping, an official watchdog operating under the China General Chamber of Commerce, released its third investigation report yesterday in which it slammed 25 TV commercials for their exaggerated portrayal of products.

The report said most commercials for health foods and medicines broadcast on local television stations across China violated advertising laws and regulations from the State Food and Drug Administration.

Among the stars criticized was Chen Baoguo, a famous mainland TV soap star, who endorsed a medicated wine in commercials shown on four television channels. The report's authors said the commercial exaggerated the effects of the wine and included praise from pretend customers.

Two other celebrities lambasted in the report - popular entertainment show host Wang Yang and Zhou Yanhong, a female singer - paired up in a medicine commercial that overplayed the product's anti-aging properties with unfounded claims that it could make consumers look "10 years younger".

Nawei, a famous TV host in Shanghai, and Sun Guitian, a respected actress, appeared together in a medical commercial promoting an asthma capsule that had been banned from the market. None of the celebrities named in the report had made a comment by yesterday afternoon.

The report has been passed on to the relevant government departments for consideration of further action.

"We have a supervision net that covers many cities across China and we will continue to expose the commercial fraud," a spokesperson, surnamed Yang, from the Professional Committee of Media Shopping, told METRO yesterday.

"We are not merely aiming at the celebrities but at all fake commercials that violate relevant laws and regulations," he said.

According to the report, commercials involving celebrities that pump so-called "fake" products are decreasing, but phony experts and patients are becoming more of a problem and misleading consumers.

The watchdog committee began its crackdown on illegal commercials last October when it collaborated with the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television and local industrial and commercial bureaus.

Last November, Zhao Zhongxiang, a renowned TV host from China's national TV station, apologized after appearing in a commercial for a "fake" medicine.

The apology followed widespread criticism from netizens.