Cartoon mayor right

A cartoon version of Mayor Zhao Xiaoming of Zhangjiajie, Hunan province, recently appeared on TV and the Internet, promoting his city, which will host the 2009 international country music festival. Many were amused by the mayor's cartoon image. But some online critics said Zhao hurt his image as mayor by behaving unprofessionally.

There is nothing wrong with the "cartoon mayor" promoting the local tourism industry, especially since he did it for free.

Many destinations spend a lot of money hiring celebrities as their "image ambassadors". A mayor is a local household name; his or her image in local tourism promotion can be persuasive.

A cartoon image of a mayor is rare but the public's response to Zhao was positive. Many tourists, including those from the US and Germany, reportedly expressed interest in visiting Zhangjiajie after seeing the promotion campaign.

Visitors are expected to flood Zhangjiajie during the music festival.

If Zhao had appeared on TV in a suit and tie to give an official introduction to the music festival, the public response would not have been as enthusiastic. The festival is an entertainment event and the mayor's humorous approach to advertising it was better than a dry and stale approach.

Many people think Chinese government officials are too serious and lack a sense of humor, according to a recent online poll. A dash of humor, such as Zhao's, is a good way to help officials relate to the public.

People's Daily Overseas Edition

(China Daily 05/25/2009 page2)