Illustration by Trịnh Lập

By Trần Khánh An

As the world moves at a mind-boggling pace, many consumers don’t have the time, knowledge or experience to check product and service quality.

I admit, I too fall into that bracket, believing it’s fine to trust reviews or recommendations.

With the rise of social media, anyone with a substantial following — whether through their art, lifestyle, or even appearance — can leverage their popularity to secure brand deals and endorse products.

That’s where the line must be drawn.

With the trust and admiration some influencers have garnered, and sometimes asserting to use or co-produce the products they promote, many people are easily persuaded.

While it benefits businesses and internet influencers, customers often overlook one important fact – these individuals are not experts, especially in the field of the products they endorse.

The Việt Nam Food Safety Authority under the Ministry of Health last week ordered an urgent investigation into advertising violations for the dietary supplement Supergreens Gummies, also marketed as Kẹo Rau Củ Kera, claimed to be a substitute for fibre in vegetables or fruits.

The product was registered by Chị Em Rọt Group JSC, headquartered in HCM City, and is manufactured by ASIA LIFE JSC in Đắk Lắk Province. Social media personalities Hằng Du Mục (Nguyễn Thị Thái Hằng) and Quang Linh Vlogs (Phạm Quang Linh), who are behind Chị Em Rọt Group, promoted the product with Miss Grand International 2021, Nguyễn Thúc Thùy Tiên.

All of them have an image as individuals dedicated to the community, regularly doing charity work and promoting Vietnamese agricultural products, earning them the love and near-total trust of their audience.

They present themselves as not just brand ambassadors but also devoted to the product from the start. They visit farms and factories, creating videos that detail the process and benefits of Kera candy, claiming that a single gummy provides the same nutritional value as a full plate of vegetables.

As a result, until March 5, the brand had sold over 58,000 boxes of candy on its TikTok shop, averaging nearly 500 boxes sold daily.

Things took a twist when one consumer shared a video of an independent test conducted at the National Institute of Measurement and Quality, which revealed that an entire box of 30 gummies contained only 0.51 grams of fibre — about one-sixth of a banana.

This information provided in the video clip has sparked intense debate about the product’s claimed health benefits, increasing public frustration as many users demanded that the influencers address the issue directly.

As a result, promotional posts about Kera gummies disappeared from their personal social media pages, and they apologised for the controversy.

Beauty queen Tiên said that she endorsed the product because it was “especially right” for her. Her apology did not address the consequences but focused on expressing "surprise" and "concern", while blaming that all the information she shared was based on “what was provided by the manufacturer”.

The group of celebrities, including (from right) Quang Linh Vlogs, Hằng Du Mục and former Miss Grand International winner Nguyễn Thúc Thuỳ Tiên, advertising the product on a livestream before the scandal. Photo KERA

At times, consumers purchase products due to their trust in celebrities or the discounts they promote. However, if the product turns out to be far from what they anticipated, they may end up paying an even steeper price, particularly when it comes to health-related products and services.

The results of the investigation will soon enough get to the bottom of this ‘Gummie-gate’ controversy.

Their actions spark ongoing discussions about the responsibility influencers have when endorsing products. They also remind us that we often misunderstand the definition of Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) and whom we, as the public, should truly listen to.

Social media has amplified the influence of online personalities, allowing anyone with a large following to label themselves or be recognised as a KOL, sometimes carelessly by the public.

This has blurred the lines between genuine expertise and self-promotion, leading to the rise of "influencers" who may not necessarily have qualifications and experiences but can shape opinions and trends of the community.

Simply having a large audience does not automatically make someone an expert; true expertise requires substantial knowledge, experience and qualifications in a specific field, which cannot be solely gained through social media popularity alone.

This case also challenges our role and authority as the public and consumers because it is not the first time Quang Linh Vlog has publicly apologised for the quality of the products he endorsed.

Linh issued an apology in early January this year after his rice pot restaurant failed to meet service expectations. In November last year, he admitted the mistake for the poor-quality smoked ribs he endorsed and offered full refunds for orders made during his live stream. That same month, he apologised for the poor packaging of the dried apple boxes, explaining that the production company had not yet perfected the process.

In just three months, Linh publicly apologised four times due to shortcomings in the business operations and product promotions under his endorsement. It eventually turned into a cycle where his response was just an apology, consumers were frustrated, the media criticised. The issue was quickly forgotten, and online personalities like Linh moved on to sign new advertising contracts.

Maybe the public is a little lenient in their actions and responses towards certain celebrities? This raises the question that, alongside enhancing and reinforcing punitive measures to ensure deterrence by relevant regulatory authorities, the voice of the public is equally crucial.

We should not just be passive recipients of advertisements and endorsements, but the time is right to question, reject and hold influencers accountable.

There is a saying: “Not only can water float a boat, it can sink it also.”

A person gains fame through the support of the public, and in return, the public holds the power to cancel those who exploit the community's trust by promoting products inaccurately and misleading consumers, as well as support the true KOLs with genuine expertise and dedication to the community. VNS