Shopping channel caught using logos without permission
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Happy Shopping, which was fined for selling copycats on Wednesday, has been found posting other TV channels’ logos without permission.
As of 11:00 am on Thursday, the logos of 11 TV channels that Happy Shopping said aired its program were still being displayed on its website.
45 minutes later, Tuoi Tre found out that those logos had all gone without any official announcement from Happy Shopping about the removal.
Tri Viet Media Corporation (TVM), Ho Chi Minh City Television’s HTV3 channel’s official partner, said it had been Happy Shopping’s victim.
TVM said it had neither given any information about HTV3 or its logo to Happy Shopping nor had it done business with the shopping channel.
TVM have never broadcast any ad for Happy Shopping either.
Binh Duong Television’s cable channel BTV3 also said its logo had been illegally abused.
BTV3 said it had a contract with an advertising firm to air some of Happy Shopping’s products in March and April, but stopped this program in May.
But Happy Shopping still used its logo until yesterday.
Ngo Quang Thuy, lawyer of NT Trade Law Company, said the law regulating the advertisement sector is still lacking.
It is unacceptable that TV channels don’t closely monitor on the contents of the ads they air, he said.
“Lawmakers should propose more regulations to make advertisers more responsible to better protect consumers,” he added.
Many Tuoi Tre readers have also expressed concerns when Happy Shopping does business as usual although their numerous violations have been discovered recently.
Some blamed TV channels for not checking ad contents before airing them.
A reader signed T.C commented on Tuoi Tre’s website that TV channels should also be held accountable for airing misleading ads.
Since consumers often trust information on TV, they will easily be duped.
He said this company marketed titanium magnetic bracelets as something that could heal many diseases in 2010.
The company said the bracelet cost VND890,000 (US$45) but it was discovered later that the bracelet was actually iron-made, and didn’t cost more than VND5,000 ($0.25).
But since then, Happy Shopping has still managed to run its business as usual, which he said was incomprehensible.
On Wednesday, Happy Shopping’s representative Kam Buu Lam told Tuoi Tre that the news reporting Happy Shopping being fined for selling low quality and fake products would not affect the company.
He suggested stricter penalties such as canceling business licenses of firms that intend to dupe the public.
