MUMBAI: Bharti Telemedia, Nuzen Herbal, Gillette India, Piramal Healthcare, and Space Age Multiproducts have faced the ire of the Advertising Standards Council of India (Asci) which has upheld complaints against them in the month of October.
The Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) of Asci found the ads misleading.
With regard to Bharti Telemedia, Asci had received two complaints - one on an SMS communication and another on a TV Commercial (TVC). The CCC found as misleading the claim made in the SMS ad that Airtel Digital TV Recorder is High Definition capable.
Meanwhile, the TVC of the Airtel DTH service said that it offers free regional pack for “lifetime”. But as its DTH licence is valid up to May 2018, CCC finds the offer of “Free regional pack for lifetime” to be misleading. Following decisions upholding Airtel DTH’s both complaints by the CCC, the advertiser discontinued the TVC, while the SMS campaign was suitably modified.
In FMCG sector, the CCC upheld complaints against ads by Nuzen Herbal and Gillette India. The Nuzen Herbal advertisement claimed hair growth following the use of Nuzen Gold Hair Oil. However, according to the CCC, this claim was not substantiated with technical data through clinical research.
The advertisement by Gillette India claimed 99 per cent plaque removal for its higher priced Oral B Cross Action Pro-Health Toothbrush priced at Rs 69. But the same ad also announced a lower price of Rs 13 only for another brush, Oral B Shiny Clean. The CCC concluded that juxtaposing in the same ad of higher priced toothbrush with strong efficacy claim along with lower priced not same quality toothbrush will mislead consumers to believe that the lower priced Oral B Shiny Clean brush delivers the 99 per cent plaque removal which it cannot.
Post these decisions, NuZen Herbal withdrew and Gillette India modified the concerned ads.
In the health care sector, complaints against two ads were upheld by the CCC. Piramal Health Care had claimed in the ad of Nutritional supplement, Superactiv that it provides energy for all day. It also offered a complete money back guarantee if energy is not got in eight days.
CCC concluded that in absence of independent scientific study, the claims made in the Superactiv’s TVC were not substantiated and, hence, misleading.
CCC also concluded that claim of “for healthier body, for a positive mind” made in the print ad for Morning Walker marketed by Spaceage Multiproducts was not adequately substantiated scientifically. Also its claim of “Medically Endorsed” was not substantiated with authentic certification from concerned medical institutions or bodies.
