Remember the local hook-up app that capitalised on Changi Airport CISCO officer Lee Minwei’s good looks to gain more likes for its services?

Paktor had since taken down its post yesterday (Oct 19), hours after Certis Cisco asked the app to do so.

So we asked the Advertising Standards Authority of Singapore (ASAS), the self-regulatory body of the advertising industry, whether it is okay for a company to use the image for its own purposes.

The tl;dr version from Ang Peng Hwa, the legal advisor to the ASAS, is that it is NOT OKAY.

This is because it would appear that Certis Cisco is collaborating with Paktor on the advertisement, therefore exploiting the goodwill attached to Certis.

The longer version?

Basically, the media don said that a provision in the Singapore Code of Advertising Practice -- of which the social media ad guidelines are a part of -- prohibits the exploitation of goodwill.

And what is an exploitation of goodwill or intellectual property?

He explains what advertisements should not be doing:

"Advertisements should not make unjustifiable use of the name, initials, logo and/or trade and service marks of any firm, company or institution.

Advertisements should not take unfair advantage of another firm, person or institution’s goodwill in its name, trade name or other intellectual property, or the goodwill earned by other’s advertising and promotion campaigns."

In an interview with Marketing Interactive, Certis Cisco explains why it demanded Paktor to take down security officer post.

Karyn Low, AVP of corporate communications at Certis Cisco, told Marketing Interactive that their priority was the privacy of their employee.

"Minwei’s photo was used by Paktor without his consent. As such, we requested on his behalf to have his photo removed."

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