Online adverts spark craze for creative captions of the stars
By Zhu Shenshen |
August 7, 2010, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
MILLIONS of Chinese Internet users have a new game known as "Vanclize" -- comments with edited pictures and personalized captions of celebrities and themselves.
The word "Vanclize" came from an advertisement for online clothing shop Vancl, which promotes its T-shirts costing only 29 yuan (US$4.3). The ad includes images of writer Han Han and film star Wang Luodan, with Han saying: "I love freedom and the Internet. I like sleeping in and roadside snack food. I am not a spirit flag-bearer or a promoter and I represent only myself."
People copied the model to post pictures and comments with celebrities including Apple founder Steve Jobs, Che Guevara, former Microsoft President Tang Jun and CCTV anchor Zhao Zhongxiang, known for hosting "Animal World" and reported to have been involved in a sex scandal with female colleagues.
Zhao was tagged with: "I love CCTV and I also love AV (adult video). I love the animal world and I also love the world of women."
Tang, now the president of Chinese private firm Xinhuadu, was found to have faked his academic qualifications. He previously wrote an autobiography book called "My Success Can Be Copied." His photo was captioned: "I love success and I love copying and cheating everyone."
On the social website douban.com, more than 2,200 "Vanclized" pictures are shown. In the user-created adverts, everyone is seen promoting a special product to represent him or her, such as Jobs' iPhone and Guevara's beret.
"It's interesting for people to enjoy and participate in cyberspace," said Gu Xiaoming, a sociologist and professor at Shanghai University. "It reflects peoples' opinions and wisdom and creates a new culture."
Other "Vanclized" celebrities included Carrefour shop assistant Luo Yufeng, or Sister Feng, who became famous online for demanding a rich husband and describing herself as ugly.
"We appreciate the wisdom and innovation of people and it gives everyone an opportunity to express opinions," said Li Jianxiong, spokesperson of Vancl.
Vancl, which sells cheap shoes and clothes to people aged from 20 to 35, has generated daily revenue of 6 million yuan now, doubled from several months ago.
"Everyone wants to express themselves and be noticed and that's the basic demand of the new cyber society," said professor Gu.
The word "Vanclize" came from an advertisement for online clothing shop Vancl, which promotes its T-shirts costing only 29 yuan (US$4.3). The ad includes images of writer Han Han and film star Wang Luodan, with Han saying: "I love freedom and the Internet. I like sleeping in and roadside snack food. I am not a spirit flag-bearer or a promoter and I represent only myself."
People copied the model to post pictures and comments with celebrities including Apple founder Steve Jobs, Che Guevara, former Microsoft President Tang Jun and CCTV anchor Zhao Zhongxiang, known for hosting "Animal World" and reported to have been involved in a sex scandal with female colleagues.
Zhao was tagged with: "I love CCTV and I also love AV (adult video). I love the animal world and I also love the world of women."
Tang, now the president of Chinese private firm Xinhuadu, was found to have faked his academic qualifications. He previously wrote an autobiography book called "My Success Can Be Copied." His photo was captioned: "I love success and I love copying and cheating everyone."
On the social website douban.com, more than 2,200 "Vanclized" pictures are shown. In the user-created adverts, everyone is seen promoting a special product to represent him or her, such as Jobs' iPhone and Guevara's beret.
"It's interesting for people to enjoy and participate in cyberspace," said Gu Xiaoming, a sociologist and professor at Shanghai University. "It reflects peoples' opinions and wisdom and creates a new culture."
Other "Vanclized" celebrities included Carrefour shop assistant Luo Yufeng, or Sister Feng, who became famous online for demanding a rich husband and describing herself as ugly.
"We appreciate the wisdom and innovation of people and it gives everyone an opportunity to express opinions," said Li Jianxiong, spokesperson of Vancl.
Vancl, which sells cheap shoes and clothes to people aged from 20 to 35, has generated daily revenue of 6 million yuan now, doubled from several months ago.
"Everyone wants to express themselves and be noticed and that's the basic demand of the new cyber society," said professor Gu.
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