Media told to drop ads for gifts (2)

"Choosing gifts is always a headache for me when I return to my hometown for Spring Festival. The easiest solution is to choose the gift they all know, which is often one that is heavily advertised," he said.

"Although many people would regard the content of ads that promote products as a proper gift as silly, they reinforce the notion of gift-giving," he said.

Zhang said it remains to seen how long the ban will last and the measure will only be effective if it is long-term.