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The Beijing Administration for Industry and Commerce has banned outdoor ads that promote a lavish lifestyle and include words such as “supreme,” “royal,” “high class” and “luxury”.
Offenders face a fine of 30,000 yuan, or $4575, reports the state-owned China Daily. Ads that contain these catchphrases are all too common, since some Chinese citizens place high value on displaying newly acquired wealth.
(More on TIME.com: Why, despite inequality, China won’t erupt in revolts yet)
The Chinese government has but one one mantra: to build a so-called “harmonious society.” Simply put, it’s a society in which nobody has great interest in rocking the boat. The government, following along this line of thought, is worried about the raising inequality. The ban highlights the desire of addressing the growing income gap that is the inevitable result of a country growing at breakneck speed.
The ban includes outdoor ads that “promote hedonism” or “the worship of foreign-made products.” Needless to say, it’s all about interpretation. What about products, this NewsFeeder begs to ask, that are locally made but designed abroad, like many of the luxury fashion products currently sold worldwide? Or that are locally assembled, but are made with foreign components? (via China Daily)
(More on TIME.com: See pictures of Shanghai’s World Expo)