ASCI upholds complaints against 79 out of 100 misleading ads
20 Nov 2014
Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), the industry watchdog, has upheld 79 out of 100 complaints regarding misleading ads, including those of Hyundai Motors, Fiat Group Automobiles, Hero Motocorp, HUL, Red Bull, Bacardi and Star India, it received in September.
The Customer Complaints Council (CCC) of ASCI received 100 complaints in the month and of the 79 upheld, most of them (49) were in the personal and healthcare category, followed by the Education category with 18 advertisements, the ASCI said in a statement.
The CCC found the claims in health and personal care product or service advertisements of 48 advertisers to be either misleading or false or not adequately/scientifically substantiated and hence violating ASCI's code. Some of the health care products or services advertisements also contravened provisions of the Drug & Magic Remedies Act and the ASCI Code, it said.
ASCI upheld complaint against Hindustan Unilever, which in the ad claimed that of various powders tested Surf Excel Matic provided the most effective cleanliness. According to the ad regulator, it was ''misleading as the comparison is made versus ordinary powders not meant for machine wash''.
It also upheld complaints against Bacardi promoting liquors through radio ad of Bacardi Breezer Music CDs.
''The advertiser is promoting their liquor product - Bacardi Breezer through the radio advertisement. The advertiser had violated the brand extension advertising code,'' the Customer Complaints Council (CCC) said.
Energy drink Red Bull was also slammed for showing dangerous practices in an advertisement, which ''manifests a disregard for safety''.
Complaint against broadcast major Star was also upheld for the TV promo of Gumraah Season 3.
According to CCC, ``The TVC promo of Gumraah Season 3 presents criminality and directly or indirectly encourages people - particularly minors- to emulate it or conveys the modus operandi of any crime.''
Another broadcaster Sahara India TV Network was also pulled up for commercial of 'Shri Hanuman JiCholewale' ''The advertisement utilised the services of well-known personalities from the entertainment industries and encouraged blind faith belief.''
The council concluded that South Korean auto maker Hyundai Motors has violated its code in the hatchback i20 commercial showing the visual of a high speed car and manoeuvrability in a manner which encourages 'unsafe and reckless driving'
It also upheld complaints against Hero MotoCorp, which in a TVC of Karizma ZMR has shown special capability of the bike to navigate over snow.
''In absence of commercially available tyres (as qualified in the supers), that are critical to deliver such performance distorts facts and is misleading,'' said ASCI.
It also slammed Fiat Group Automobiles India for showing stunts in the advertisement of hatchback Punto. According to ASCI, the campaign had ''dangerous stunts of passengers hanging out of the car while the car is in motion and violates the traffic rules''.
