KRU boss wants artiste-endorsed ads to come with disclaimers
KUALA LUMPUR: Advertisements using paid celebrity endorsements should be compelled to display disclaimers.
KRU Studios chief executive officer Datuk Norman Abdul Halim said this would go a long way in resolving issues relating to poor quality products, which were said to be promoted by artistes, especially among those with large followings.
He said there were three types of endorsements that artistes were usually involved in.
They comprise those who were business owners and developers of the products themselves; those who gave endorsements with no strings attached; and, those who had been paid to support a product.
“The third group is paid by companies based on the number of followers and likes on social media. I believe that paid endorsements should be explicitly stated in the advertisements. This allows people to use their own judgment,” Norman said at a Bicara BH forum on cyberslander yesterday.
He said although there was no regulation on endorsements, the artistes should, nevertheless, be responsible for their endorsements.
He said those being paid for endorsements were courted by established companies promoting good products because the fee could cost up to RM5,000.
He also urged artistes and celebrities to make full use of the sebenarnya.my portal, which could be used to check viral postings and verify their content.
The portal had also been used by others to refute rumours.
“I hope Malaysians are mature enough when it comes to using social media, and not quick to jump to conclusions on the news that they get.
“Other than getting both sides of the story, they should resist the urge to share gossips in the first 24 hours as they may need time to verify the facts, instead of just sensationalising bits that malign others.”