Hard times teach lessons like nothing can. And so it happened for Hong Kong singer-cum-actress Gillian Chung, following her hard core controversy over her sexual activities with actor Edison Cheng.
Chung paced public reaction and criticism after her pictures of sexual activities with actor Edison Cheng were release on the Internet. This had horrendously resulted in annulment of profitable endorsement deals and enraged public’s contempt.
All this time, Chung remained invisible from the public until only recently she appeared on an interview on the TVB talk show Be My Guest.
She explained how she had reacted in a different way in 2006 shedding tears over the Peeping Tom pictures of her changing during her performance in Malaysia, compared to the 2008 scandal for the reason that voluntary and involuntary actions are very dissimilar.
While Cheng says, she had her consent on filming their intimate acts because she believed she loved him and couldn’t afford to lose him. Following the sex pictures gossip, Chung said she had considered leaving showbiz and committing suicide.
But, none of it happened. Three days past the interview, Chung was again seen at a press conference declaring her comeback as a representative for the Hong Kong-based Bauhaus Tough Jeansmith fashion chain which vends denim-based and streetwear apparel and accessories. She was selected as the brand ambassador for the Asia Pacific region.
Bauhaus International founder and CEO George Wong told StarTwo via e-mail, “We believe Gillian’s motivation to face challenges can bring home the message of ‘unremitting self-improvement’ and ‘enthusiastic toughness’.”
But, what would the public say about Chung’s association with the brand? Wong reassured that since the company is doing great in Hong Kong and with Chung’s campaign, the company will be exposed to different markets and that would be beneficial indeed.
But what does this media marketing, PR and advertising trade portal Brand Republic has to say? Quoting a PR/advertising head saying that the Asian market prefer its celebrities to have a clean profile and thus, is not flexible compared to Western markets. It also quoted a Hong Kong PR agency head exclaiming that it was a nothing but a useless opportunity for both brand and endorser.
The campaign is all about being rough and tough, but the paradox here is that she recoiled, and moved in silence when questions were being thrown her way about the sex photos scandal and whether she had been unfairly judged by fans, the public and media.
Whatever happen, one thing is for sure, this would remain a hot topic for many for a little while longer than thought. Now that good girl image has gone bad, one cannot predict her comeback would win her her life back or would it remain in the backstreet…?