ASCI upholds 99 of 108 complaints in January

The CCC has upheld the highest ever number of complaints in January, 2013.

The Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has upheld complaints against 99 out of 108 advertisements in January 2013 for sending across misleading information. More than 90 per cent of the complaints were upheld, the highest in the past 10 months.

Earlier, in December 2012, 86 per cent ads (43 out of 50 complaints) were upheld; while in July 2012, only 25 out of 131 complaints were upheld, the least in recent times.

The brands that have come under ASCI's scanner include Bajaj Electricals, Whirlpool India, Cata Appliances, Ruchi Soya Industries, Radikal Overseas, Gulab Oils and Food, Star India, BCCL, Tata Housing Development, Winsome Realty and Infrastructure Redesign Housing, Mas Creations, Shri Chaitanya College Of Nursing & Paramedical Science, Gillette India, HUL, Marico, Mosons Extractions, Masolin Breast Care Oil & Tablets and Rupa & Company, among others.

In the case of Bajaj Electricals' Water Heater print advertisement, CCC upheld that its claim of 'no longer needed to kill time waiting for the hot water' provided misleading information.

Ruchi Soya Industries' ad for Nutrela Table Spread has the headline, 'Zyaada Lagao, Bindaas Khao'. The CCC ruled that the advertisement violates ASCI Code's Food & Beverage guidelines for advertisements directed to children. The guidelines say that ads should not show over consumption.

In the media sector, Bennett, Coleman & Company Limited's ET NOW's print advertisement showed a comparison of viewership of some English business news channels in a stated target audience group and market. The CCC concluded that the source of the data substantiating the claim was not mentioned in the advertisement.

Complaints against Tata Housing Development La Montana, Winsome Realty and Mas Creations were upheld since all three misleadingly mentioned proximity to Talegaon (Pune), apparently to enhance the properties' value.

In the education sector, complaints against Shri Chaitanya College of Nursing and Paramedical Science's ad was upheld as it claimed to provide cent per cent job guarantee but did not specify the year in which the guarantee of job placement is given.

Complaints against two HUL advertisements for Axe deodorants and Pepsodent were upheld. For Axe deodorant, CCC found that the visuals depicted in the advertisement were indecent. Pepsodent's ad claims that it helps remove 25 per cent more germs but failed to substantiate it with any data. CCC upheld the complaint on the pretext that by providing 25 per cent more content, the consumer does not get 25 per cent more protection from germs.

During January 2013, CCC also received eight complaints against the advertisements of Varahi Limited's Varahi Bottle Jars & Containers, Glaxosmithkline Consumer Healthcare's Horlicks, Lotus Herbal's Lotus Purestay Cosmetics, Myntra.com, Bambino Agro Industries Bambino, Macaroni Oorja Solution's Oorja Water Purifier, TTK Healthcare's Skore Condoms and ABAI Tours India's Mumbai Goa Mumbai Air package. However, the complaints against them were not upheld as they did not violate ASCI's guidelines.

ASCI's National Advertising Monitoring Service has been instrumental in rigorously tracking most of the advertisements being released across print and television.

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) was established in 1985 and works to ensure the protection of the interests of consumers. Its main objective is to promote responsible advertising, thus enhancing the public's confidence in advertising.