Animal Health Giant Zoetis Slapped with Penalty: The Dark Side of Deceptive Advertising
Zoetis China Fined for Publishing Illegal Advertisements
On September 20, the Shanghai Municipal Market Supervision Administration issued a notice on the second batch of typical cases of false and illegal advertisements in 2024. Among them, Zoetis (Shanghai) Enterprise Management Co., Ltd., the headquarters of Zoetis China, was severely punished for publishing illegal advertisements.
Zoetis (Shanghai) arbitrarily used the professional images of users and pet doctors on the WeChat video account and Weibo platform to recommend its veterinary anthelmintics “Xinchongke” and “Miaochongai”. This action violated the relevant provisions of the ”Advertising Law of the People’s Republic of China”, which explicitly prohibits “using the names of professionals or users to recommend products”.
The Shanghai Yangpu District Market Supervision and Administration Bureau imposed a fine of RMB 120,000 on Zoetis in accordance with the law. The company was also required to immediately stop its illegal advertising activities and eliminate the adverse effects within the corresponding scope.
Zoetis (Shanghai) released the “Xin Chongke Takes Dogs on a Trip” series of video ads with user experience as the core content, and the “Pet Guardian” ad recommended from the professional perspective of pet doctors through its WeChat video account “Zoetis Big Love” and Weibo account. These actions directly violated the “Advertising Law”.
Zoetis has a long history, dating back to 1952 when Pfizer established the Animal Agriculture Department. In 1988, it was officially renamed the Animal Health Department. In 2012, Pfizer spun off its animal health business into an independent company “Zoetis”, which was independently listed in the United States in 2013.
Throughout its development, Zoetis has made several acquisitions to expand its product line and market share. In 1995, the acquisition of GlaxoSmithKline Norden Laboratories enabled Zoetis to expand into the field of small animal care. From 2003 to 2011, Pfizer acquired several companies, further expanding Zoetis’ product line and market share.
In 2014, Zoetis announced the acquisition of Abbott’s pet medicine portfolio, strengthening its position in the field of pet health care. Today, Zoetis operates in more than 70 countries around the world, with its brand awareness and market share ranking among the top.
Zoetis has been in the Chinese market for 28 years, since 1995. This illegal advertising incident is also the second time that Zoetis has been administratively punished for advertising in China.