Following an increase in plastic surgery complications and public complaints concerning beauty advertisements encouraging citizens to undergo cosmetic surgery procedures and treatments, on August 27th, 2021, China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) released new guidelines for medical beauty advertising. 

The revised guidelines state that medical beauty advertisements would henceforth be categorized as medical advertising. As such, medical beauty advertisers will now need to obtain a license to advertise their products. Adverts will also need to follow regulations, to ensure it does not cause ‘appearance anxiety’ or advertise products not yet approved by the drug administration department. Medical beauty companies are also now forbidden from disguising adverts as interviews or reports. 

Prior to the new SAMR guidelines, the People’s Daily newspaper noted in a commentary published on its website that medical beauty advertisements were becoming ‘overwhelmingly pervasive.’ Some advertisements even associated good looks with ‘diligence’ and ‘success,’ misleading consumers into thinking that ‘plastic surgery can change one’s destiny. 

The crackdown on the medical beauty sector also follows the death of a 33-year-old influencer in July 2021, who died following a liposuction complication. This case was widely reported by Chinese media at the time. 

To know more about China’s ever-evolving Advertising Laws, contact our marketing consultant at: enquiry@so360.hk. 

(Sources: Caixinglobal.com, China-briefing.com, global times.cn, reuters.com)