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A lingerie ad in China is sparking outrage for its use of a Princess Diana lookalike who appears in her underwear. The World’s Alex Gallafent has the story.

• View the controversial “Diana” ad

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MARCO WERMAN: China may be cracking down on its fake commercial pilots. But it’s another story when it comes to fake commercial endorsements in the country. People in Britain were recently shocked to learn that an image of the late, and generally beloved, Princess Diana had been used to sell a Chinese brand of lingerie. The company, Jealousy International, created a racy painting that included a likeness of Diana. The World’s Alex Gallafent reports.

ALEX GALLAFENT:  It’s a curious ad. Princess Diana is shown in her undies holding a cello. A small child gazes up at her holding some sheet music. The accompanying text reads, “Feel the Romance of British Royalty – Diana Underwear.” This just might a teachable moment says Hamish Pringle.

HAMISH PRINGLE:  That’s a very unfortunate incident. I think it’s, in a funny sort of way, it’s good that it’s happened because it’s an example that can be pointed at and said, people can say this really doesn’t work for us.

GALLAFENT: Pringle is a former ad exec and the author of the book, Celebrity Sells. He says the unauthorized use of celebrities in commercial endorsements is a growing problem in markets such as China.

PRINGLE: We have seen a similar sort of thing in Russia, a year or so ago, with [INDISCERNIBLE] featuring a look-alike of David Beckham. So, it does seem to be a thing that the emerging economies indulge in before the full legislative structure gets up in these markets.

GALLAFENT: Russian or Chinese companies with global aspirations generally don’t do this kind of thing. But the Diana in here underwear image might actually be pretty effective in China’s domestic market, say Beijing-based media watcher, Jeremy Goldkorn. Consider the commercial environment.

JEREMY GOLDKORN: The explosion of printed materials of media magazines, newspapers and websites has meant that there’s just a lot more advertising. There are a lot more images being reproduce everywhere.

GALLAFENT: That means increasing competition for consumer’s attention. And most domestic brands in China don’t have strong name of logo recognition.

GOLDKORN: There’s a lot of real celebrity endorsement in China. The most famous one is Jackie Chan. Jackie Chan endorses so many products in China, that you can’t even remember which products he endorses.

GALLAFENT: Diana is different, special, Western. And most Chinese people aren’t as sensitive about her image as people in Britain or the US.

GOLDKORN:  The average person may not recognize exactly who she is. They know they’ve seen her face before and the name is famous. It’s sort of like, probably to be honest what most Westerners know about Chairman Mao, Mao Zedong.

GALLAFENT: It’s not as if Western companies haven’t used his image countless times before. Just as Mao can stand equally for Communism or for sheik military headgear, so Diana can stand for tragic heroine in the UK and generalized upper class elegance in China. Current celebrities are no more immune. Bill Clinton’s image has been used to sell Chinese real estate. And Sean Connery was shocked to learn that his celebrity was building sales of a Chinese anti-impotence drug. Enough to make a man choke on his martini.

SEAN CONNERY: That makes two of us.

GALLAFENT: Hamish Pringle says celebrities are now increasingly protective of their own brands. As a counter to unauthorized endorsements, they now make extraordinary demands for limited authorized commercial work. Stuff so high end it couldn’t be possibly be faked.

PRINGLE: You could look at the example of Nicole Kidman doing the campaign for Chanel being directed by Baz Luhrmann, the guy who filmed her in Moulin Rouge.

GALLAFENT: Or in another example, Keith Richard and Mikhail Gorbachev featured in ultra-luxe ads for Louis Vuitton with photos by another A-lister, Annie Leibovitz. Beat that, Jealousy International. But while the lingerie company went for broke with a big name like Diana, other Chinese firms have appropriated the images of lesser celebs. Mena Suvari is most famous for bathing in rose petals in the movie American Beauty. But her image along with another minor British celebrity was recently used to sell Chinese condoms. Jeremy Goldkorn says in this case, it’s not a question of their fame.

GOLDKORN: When these advertisers want a sexy want a sexy looking Western woman to represent products, say a condom, they go on the internet and they search for sexy photos. And those are the kind of celebrities whose photos can probably find most easily.

GALLAFENT: Seems there’s always a hierarchy, even in unauthorized endorsements.

GOLDKORN:  Yeah, it’s kind of like either the A-list or the Z-list, you know, and not much in between.

GALLAFENT: Hey, that’s showbiz. For The World, I’m Alex Gallafent.

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