Wednesday February 7, 2007
Ad agency explains why Pan-Asians are preferred models
Reports by A. LETCHUMANAN, AZHARIAH KAMIN, SHEELA CHANDRAN, ZACK YUSOF and TAN KOK KEAN
KUALA LUMPUR: Pan-Asian models are preferred for television commercials because they are regarded as a neutral representation of Malaysians.
An advertising agency official here said clients preferred models who could represent a cross-section of all races.
“Sometimes, it is the clients who want a face that would give their products an international image, rather than having a Malay, Chinese or Indian face.
“It is also cheaper to have one advertisement (with the mixed looks) to cater to all the races,” he added.
Pan-Asians, he said, were also Malaysian citizens and had the right to be featured in advertisements.
He was commenting on a recent statement by Information Minister Datuk Zainuddin Maidin that the number of Pan-Asian models would be reduced on television.
The official said there had been many mixed marriages, resulting in an increasing number of Pan-Asian faces in our multi-cultural country.
Shahar Noor, the executive chairman of Friends Worldwide, a local advertising agency, said the Information Ministry must not be too rigid.
Shahar, who is also the past president of the Malaysian Advertisers Association, said the industry had been producing commercials that were acceptable to their clients, consumers and the Government.
Institute of Public Relations Malaysia secretary P. Kamlanathan said the suggestion by the minister was not new.
“Over the years, the concept has changed, with advertisements using Bollywood faces and other international stars speaking in Bahasa Malaysia with voiceovers done locally, which is confusing. It gives the impression that they speak the language, which is not the case.”
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