MISLEADING CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENTS !
Though common sense requires buyers to take reasonable care and do due diligence before buying a product or a service, they often act irrationally, swayed by celebrities they adore. Surveys have established that film stars and sports icons influence buying behaviour and the advertisement industry thrives on their star appeal. They need to be held accountable if they submit to greed, disregard societal responsibility and do something wrong, or consumers find a mismatch between the quality promised and delivered. Instances of material considerations prevailing over social obligations are numerous. In 2002 Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan and Sachin Tendulkar endorsed a brokerage firm, Home Trade, which swindled 25 co-operative banks of Rs 600 crore. Amitabh Bachchan, Preity Zinta and Madhuri Dixit have faced consumers’ ire for proclaiming Maggi’s nutritional benefits. Australian pacer Brett Lee has lent his name to a company of the Pearls group which has duped millions of investors. More recently, skipper Dhoni was forced to quit as Amrapali brand ambassador after homebuyers complained of delay in flat possession.
Though common sense requires buyers to take reasonable care and do due diligence before buying a product or a service, they often act irrationally, swayed by celebrities they adore. Surveys have established that film stars and sports icons influence buying behaviour and the advertisement industry thrives on their star appeal. They need to be held accountable if they submit to greed, disregard societal responsibility and do something wrong, or consumers find a mismatch between the quality promised and delivered. Instances of material considerations prevailing over social obligations are numerous. In 2002 Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan and Sachin Tendulkar endorsed a brokerage firm, Home Trade, which swindled 25 co-operative banks of Rs 600 crore. Amitabh Bachchan, Preity Zinta and Madhuri Dixit have faced consumers’ ire for proclaiming Maggi’s nutritional benefits. Australian pacer Brett Lee has lent his name to a company of the Pearls group which has duped millions of investors. More recently, skipper Dhoni was forced to quit as Amrapali brand ambassador after homebuyers complained of delay in flat possession.
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