Chinese Politicians Doing Celebrity Endorsements – 1890s style

These days Chinese politicians don’t get much involved in celebrity endorsements, even when they retire (they don’t really need the money it seems!!). But in times past they have – or at least their image was positive enough to be seen as good for endorsing a product other than authoritarian government. Li Hung Chang (or Hongzhang if you prefer) was by far the most internationally recognisable statesmen of late Qing China and the western media was fascinated by the so-called Self Strengthening Movement, which he championed. Li was also a bit of a traveller – he went to Russia, England and America among other countries in the late 1890s. His American visit excited enough attention that the New York Sunday Journal decided to use his image for a bit of publicity. Whether he was paid for his endorsement or not I don’t know – I suspect not, like Dickens he probably just got ripped off by the Americans. Oh how the tables have turned in turned in terms of IP theft of celebrity images!