ThaiBev denies it hired celebrities to advertise Chang Beer

[webfact]

ThaiBev denies it hired celebrities to advertise Chang Beer



BANGKOK: -- Chang Beer producer Thai Beverage Public Company has denied it hired celebrities to advertise its beer in the social media, said Mr Prapakorn Thongtheppairot, president of the company.

He said that the company had strictly abided by the law and had no intention whatsoever to use actors or actresses to publicise its alcoholic drinks. However, he added that the company was ready to cooperate with authorities in the probe into the controversial publicity in the social media.

Meanwhile, deputy national police chief Pol Gen Pongpat Pongcharoen said a total of 24 celebrities would be invited for interrogation for posting their images with bottles of beer in social media.

He said the celebrities had defied Section 26 of the Alcoholic Drinks Control Act B.E. 2551 whether their postings in the social media were intentional or not. Violation of the law is liable to imprisonment of one year and/or 100,000 baht fine.

Personally, Pol Gen Pongpat said their behavior was improper because they are public figures.

The publicity of the beer by several celebrities in the social media has provoked public outcry against the celebrities, among them Pakorn (Dome) Lum. Health activist groups have demanded the Public Health Ministry to take legal actions against the celebrities as well as the beer manufacturers.

Popular Panthip website has been flooded with comments from netizens expressing doubts with some celebrities’ claims that there were not employed to advertise beer. They pointed out that the simultaneous appearances of their images holding beer bottle or drinking beer were too coincidental.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/thaibev-denies-it-hired-celebrities-to-advertise-chang-beer


-- The Nation 2015-10-12

[starky]

Part of the 15bn thaibev is investing to get the premier share of the market methinks..or perhaps it was just coincidence.

[ChrisY1]

Typical Hi-So company owner denials here......paid off the stars so they keep quiet and also deny.....the police will take it all in and most likely forget the case.

[Prbkk]

Corrupt and dumb....to be expected from 'celebrities'

[Tatsujin]

So if ThaiBev didn't pay those "celebrities", did they all spontaneously decide to promote their favorite beverage online? For what purpose if not for cash, or is the beverage so good they just couldn't help themselves?

[waldroj]

So if ThaiBev didn't pay those "celebrities", did they all spontaneously decide to promote their favorite beverage online? For what purpose if not for cash, or is the beverage so good they just couldn't help themselves?

Perhaps they were intoxicated by the product?

[jacky54]

Thai celebrities drink Heineken, even they have better taste than quaffing Chang, now available in smaller bottles at greatly reduced strength

[selftaopath]

I think the "law" is dumb. And since when are laws enforced in Lack of Sanctions (LOS)?

[SOTIRIOS]

...as for the photographic evidence....

...are they suggesting that the celebrities worked for free....

[hutchings1963]

Wait for a few brown envelopes to oppear

[Praematura]

Is the pms next project after he shuts down the Internet going to be a prohibition of some kind? I hope he isn't try to flip thailand reputation for women and song into censorship, military government ran by a unrepresentative government.

[anon467848]

Pol Gen Pongpat Pongcharoen said a total of 24 celebrities would be invited for interrogation

[NongKhaiKid]

Typical Hi-So company owner denials here......paid off the stars so they keep quiet and also deny.....the police will take it all in and most likely forget the case.

My, my what an amazing coincidence, these celebs just happen to be pictured with our product. Who would have thought ?

[striderman]

the real news should be that the new bottle shape is smaller

down from 330 to 320 ml.

not much but it is when you are producing millions of bottles of the stuff

[jacky54]

the real news should be that the new bottle shape is smaller

down from 330 to 320 ml.

not much but it is when you are producing millions of bottles of the stuff

Big ones 620 from 630 and from 6.4% to 5.5%. No wonder they have to have celebs advertising the stuff, must have hit sales. Don't see the tax argument for reducing the strength as red horse and cheers extra are the same strengths and same prices.Nice new Chang bottles though.

[h90]

Thai celebrities drink Heineken, even they have better taste than quaffing Chang, now available in smaller bottles at greatly reduced strength

Or imported real beer from Germany

[jonclark]

"He said the celebrities had defied Section 26 of the Alcoholic Drinks Control Act B.E. 2551 whether their postings in the social media were intentional or not. Violation of the law is liable to imprisonment of one year and/or 100,000 baht fine."

Better not piss off the wife then - all she needs to do is find one of my FB holidays photos of me with a can of Leo / Chang etc, tell the police and its deportation (+ fine) here I come. And she gets to keep the house!!

[Thaidream]

I am always amazed at how much is made of so little. The news report on this nonsense on TV was over 10 minutes. The World is on fire in the Middle East; economies tumbling; people being mugged and killed in Thailand every day and this is an important story for the evening news. A masterful move by the beverage company- even if they have to pay the fines- they get millions of baht of free advertising. Where is the police reenactment or is that coming later.?

[MaeJoMTB]

What if we all post pics of ourselves on Facebook holding a bottle of beer?

What are they going to do?

[Bluespunk]

Why do I find their denial hard to believe?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/862262-thai-beverage-set-to-invest-bt15-billion-as-it-chases-premier-position-in-the-region/#entry9954864

[springheeled jack]

Thailand is no different from other countries in regard to advertising beer this is something which has been going on for years and using celebrities has always been a good ploy.

[Thai at Heart]

I think the "law" is dumb. And since when are laws enforced in Lack of Sanctions (LOS)?

When the competition (Singha) has a hotline straight to the top of the government.....

[timber]

What's the problem? Does this mean all the kids are going to buy beer between 11 AM and 2 PM? Should they have been advertising guns, running shoes, video games, candy bars?

[lovelomsak]

Maybe Singha is behind this pressure being put on Chang, after losing sales because of the radical daughter during "Shut Down Bangkok"

Edited October 12, 2015 by lovelomsak

[DrTuner]

1y & 100k for taking a photo of beer. Yeah, this country has it's priorities right.

[Srikcir]

"Personally, Pol Gen Pongpat said their behavior was improper because they are public figures."

Well, Pol General Pongpat since you are a law enforcement officer, was the behavior legal?

No police investigation should be conducted based on personal beliefs and that appears to be his motivation with these celebrities. Without a legal foundation his "invitation for interrogation" that might be construed as "abuse of power."

[lvr181]

the real news should be that the new bottle shape is smaller

down from 330 to 320 ml.

not much but it is when you are producing millions of bottles of the stuff

Down sizing of packaging happens world wide, nothing new here. It is about competitive pricing being advertised to consumers. Many (if not most) consumers are price driven and not quality driven. So a product manufacturer/seller wants to retain or increase market share the packaging size is reduced, hence keeping or increasing profitability in a very competitive retail/wholesale market place.