Alcohol Promotion by Celebrities Is Health Hazard!
Increasingly celebrities in India seek to make loads of
money in a short period of time, and choose collaboration with unethical
companies, promoting harmful products. And then there are powerful role models
who choose another pathā¦
BY Suneel Vatsyayan
The endorsement by celebrities of products can have serious
adverse effects on health ā for example in the case of MAGGI and school
children. Maggi product ā2 minute noodleā (that is popular with school
kids) was found
to be containing Mono Sodium Glutamate (MSG) and lead
higher than the permissible limits. The samples collected by Uttar Pradesh
Food Safety and Drug Administration proved that MAGGIās advertising
messages, driven home by Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit ā falsely boasted
ānutritional valueā of the noodles.
The common people increasingly feel they are being
cheated and I can sense that outrage against stars endorsing
controversial products (including alcohol brands) is growing and becoming
more visible in social media discussions.
Nowadays, film and cricket stars have come to prefer brand
endorsements as a source of revenue rather doing movies or playing cricket for
their living. There is a clear disconnect between what they endorse and the
health implication of their product on common people.
According to me, food can be either healthy or unhealthy.
Food is produced, packaged and promoted and thus is subject to conditions
related to permissible limits of hazardous chemicals that show a clear nexus
between corporate, politician and brand endorsement personality. During World
Health Organizationās 67th World
Health Assembly, held in Geneva in 2014, the case was made that junk
food is extremely damaging to public health, and that warning
labels should be posted accordingly on the implicated foods.
I think itās important that both the media and celebrities
take into consideration the impact of the product before theyād decide to
endorse or promote it.
There are celebrities who do that and who receive
much praise, like movie star Ranbir Kapoor, Vivek Oberoi, Singer
Shaan, cricket
legend Sachin Tendulkar who turned down alcohol and tobacco brands.
Ranbir has said:
"I donāt believe in endorsing alcohol and tobaccoā¦ Money is
never the criteria. Itās about what you believe in and what comes naturally to
you as a brand ambassador. Itās a responsibility you have towards the consumers
and you canāt take them for granted.ā
Sachin has decided not
to endorse products that are harmful to oneās health ever and has
stayed away from them. Well known cricketer Laxman is very choosy about
the kind of brand he endorses. He refused to put the sticker of an alcohol
brand on his bat despite the good money. Vivek Oberoi has turned
down a 6 crore beer endorsement deal. The beer company initially offered
him 3 crore, but after he rejected the offer, they doubled the
offer. Vivek is adamant that he is not going to promote alcohol or smoking
brand as it will damage the health of young fans.
These sportsmen and other celebrities are true role models
who put the well-being of their fans and society before their own wallets and
bank accounts. I congratulate them and support them wholeheartedly.
Originally published at: http://iogt.org/blog/2016/01/10/indiscreet-alcohol-endorsement-by-celebrities-is-health-hazard/
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