Celebrity endorsements in China - Xiao S and Jolie
TweetTwo of my favourite female stars in China (tv presenter Xiao S and photographer Jolie) have both dropped in my eyes, because of their awful celebrity endorsements - but I think I'm the only one who feels that way...
Xiao S is a stunningly charismatic and beautiful Taiwan TV host, and Jolie is an (also beautiful) photographer who takes pictures of herself mostly. I kind of admired both of them as much as I appreciated their looks, because of their achievements through skill and not just beauty alone.
But nothing lasts forever. This week, standing on the streets of Fuzhou (as I often do) I was assaulted by a huge, cheesy, grinning poster of Xiao S advertising instant noodles. Yep, what the Chinese call 'convenient noodles, and it was the traditional "grinning celeb next to shiny product" type of advert. Sell out...
Next, in the Dong Jie Kou McDonalds, I saw none-other-than Jolie in a video reel promoting McDonalds. The video piggybacked on her sense of adventure as she travels around the world taking snapshots, and somehow that encourages people to eat more burgers. Shame on you Jolie (and on me, I know, for eating McD's in the first place).
I guess the only consolation is that advertising and celebrity endorsement in China isn't the same as in the UK. Back home, counter-culture celebrities must carefully protect their rebellious and independent image by avoiding the big money, for fear of alienating their audience.
But in China, there isn't really a 'sub-culture' in the true sense, and everything is mainstream. If there is a distinction, it's between rich and poor rather than pop and alternative, or perhaps city and countryside. Celebrities like Jolie and Xiao S might be considered sub-culture in the UK, but here they are more likely to attract the mainstream, wealthy, big-city types most likely to be able to afford expensive brand products.
Similarly, many celebrities here don't make a lot of money from their actual work. Piracy, lack of funding for quality arts and the general culture around celebrity means that endorsements are just the done thing (for example, look at the two biggest media whores, Jackie Chan and Andy Lau - I don't think a day has gone past here without seeing their mug on some billboard...)
I also have a sneaking suspicion that this will change in future. Advertising on TV and in print is less developed than we're used to in the UK - what I mean is, there is less sophisticated, creative or innovative 'branding' work, and much more simple, direct "this product is good, you should buy it, Jackie Chan agrees" type stuff on display.