MUMBAI: The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has released the February 2010 report on the advertisements which have either been withdrawn or modified. Six ads came under the scanner of Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) out of which one was withdrawn while the other five were modified.
The advertisements in question include that of Maruti SX4, Dabur Chyawan Junior, Shanti Badam Amla Hair Oil, Tata AIG Insurance, IMS CAT Approach Program and Mahindra Flyte Power Scooter.
According to the CCC, the Maruti SX4 promoted unsafe driving practices by showing reckless driving across traffic lanes. Similarly, the Mahindra Flyte Power Scooter ad shows three people on a scooter without wearing helmets. With the prohibition in place, the advertiser has guaranteed not to release the ad in future.
On the ad of Marico‘s Shanti Badam Hair Oil, the CCC felt that even as combing helps in reducing hair fall and damaged hair, the data on oil penetration and confocal microscopy do not qualify for a double benefit.
The Dabur Chyawan Junior advertisement implied that if children did not drink Dabur health drink, they would remain short in height (‘Bachche tingu rahenge‘).The ad was modified post the CCC‘s instructions.
The Tata AIG Life Insurance ad used the word ‘coolie‘ which could be treated offensive and hence the ad was asked to be modified. The CCC found the claims of the IMS CAT Approach Program -‘take you to the 100 percentile‘ as misleading as there is no 100th percentile. The advertiser later modified the ad.
Said ASCI secretary general Alan Collaco, "There is a marked increase in the number of consumer complaints since ASCI‘s campaign appealing to citizens to report misleading, dishonest and indecent ads. Our recently launched toll free number receives as many as 300 complaints per month. It‘s an encouraging indicator that consumers are becoming more aware of their rights and duties. On the other hand, there is 98 per cent compliance from advertisers on ASCI‘s decisions."
Meanwhile, ASCI didn‘t uphold consumer complaints on the ads of Garnier Fructis shampoo, Coca-Cola, Fast Track, Lodha Aqua, Digital Radio, Axe Boost and JK White Cement. The complaints on these ads were either baseless, substantiated or within decency limits.
