Nearly a year after veteran Hong Kong actor Benz Hui’s death, his image is still appearing in advertisements for a Chinese seasoning brand, prompting questions from netizens about why the late actor is continuing to be featured as a brand ambassador.
Hui, whose real name was Hui Siu-hung, died in October 2025 at the age of 76. The veteran actor was widely known for his supporting roles in numerous TVB dramas and films, including Line Walker and The New Shaolin series.
Recently, Chinese netizens noticed that several products from a seasoning brand were still using Hui’s photographs in promotional materials on major e-commerce platforms.
Some product listings continued to identify him as the brand’s image ambassador.
The discovery quickly sparked discussion online, with some people questioning why a deceased celebrity was still being used to promote commercial products.
One common reaction was that it felt uncomfortable to see Hui continuing to “endorse” products almost a year after his death.
However, the company behind the seasoning brand has provided an explanation.
According to the manufacturer, Hui had signed an endorsement contract that remains valid until October 2027.
The company said it is currently negotiating with a new spokesperson and is gradually replacing promotional materials featuring Hui.
Some online product listings have already removed his photographs and replaced them with images of a cartoon character.
The explanation has added another layer to the controversy because the continued use of a deceased celebrity’s image can depend on the terms of the original endorsement agreement.
A lawyer interviewed by Chinese media outlet Yang Cheng Wan Bao explained that although a person no longer possesses portrait rights after death, the law continues to protect the interests associated with the deceased person’s likeness.
The lawyer said commercial use of a deceased person’s image generally requires the explicit consent of close relatives.
Endorsement agreements are also normally closely tied to the individual celebrity. According to the lawyer, such contracts would generally terminate upon the artist’s death, unless the agreement contains provisions allowing previously produced promotional materials to continue being used after death.
That distinction could be important in Hui’s case.
The brand has said its contract with Hui remains in effect until October 2027, but the company has not publicly disclosed the specific terms that allow it to continue using his image after his death.
Meanwhile, the gradual removal of Hui’s photographs suggests the company is already moving away from using the late actor in its promotional campaigns.
The controversy has nevertheless brought renewed attention to the commercial agreements celebrities sign during their lifetimes — and what happens to those agreements when they die.
For Hui’s fans, seeing the beloved actor’s familiar face still attached to products has been an unexpected reminder of his absence.
For the company, it appears the issue is being handled as part of a transition to a new ambassador.
And for consumers, the incident raises a question that goes beyond one seasoning brand: when a celebrity dies, how long should their image continue appearing in advertisements?
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