ASCI launches e-learning program

The idea is to sensitise the industry on responsible advertising. It would be especially useful to students aspiring to make a career in advertising and marketing communication, legal and regulatory professionals.

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), in its endeavour to promote self-regulation and to strengthen self-discipline among creators of advertising, has launched an online training program for advertisers and communication professionals.

It is being offered at a nominal price.

"Self-discipline by creators of advertising" is one of the top priorities set by Narendra Ambwani, chairman, ASCI, for the year 2015.

Speaking on the launch, Ambwani says, "We at ASCI are happy to launch this e-learning program, which has culminated as a result of hard work put in by our team over several months. It is a proactive approach that would enable the creators of advertising to get their advertisements 'right the first time'. There is a direct and tangible business benefit associated with it, as a trained individual would be able to avoid costly reworks of modifying or pulling down of advertisement by adhering to simple dos and don'ts set out in the code."

The course will offer its modules to all members, non-members, students and other interested individuals. This e-learning program would be especially useful to students aspiring to make a career in advertising and marketing communication, legal and regulatory professionals.

ASCI is also offering special discounts to educational institutes.

Prominent personalities from the field of advertising like Piyush Pandey, R Balki and Sam Balsara have participated and lent their wholehearted support to it.

The course is designed in several modules, which the users can complete as per their own pace within a six-month window. Each of these modules consists of engaging multimedia content followed by a quiz. It includes introduction to ASCI (1 module) - Advertising Self-regulation and ASCI; ASCI advertising Codes (4 modules) - truthful and honest representation, non-offensive to public, against harmful products/situations and fair in competition; ASCI category guidelines (4 modules) - Brand Extension, Food and Beverages, Educational Institutions and Automotive vehicles; ASCI processes (4 modules) - Supers, Complaint Registrations and Monitoring, Complaint processing and ASCI Membership.

The user is awarded with a certificate on its successful completion.

Being an online platform, this program will be accessible to everyone from anywhere at any time.

Vishwas Govindarajan, director, Advertising Operations, Yahoo! India is the first industry professional who enrolled for the e-learning program and bagged the ASCI e-learning certificate.

"This is the era of digital technology where advertising bombards every available space. In such an extremely versatile and dynamic medium, self-regulation plays a vital role. If the ad content falls below the regulatory standard set for advertising, it may result in irreparable damage, both to the brand and the company. ASCI e-learning program is a 'must have' tool for every advertising professional," says Govindarajan.

With digital advertising growth rate going stronger year-on-year, ASCI e-learning launch is aimed at educating professionals in self-regulation and protecting their companies' reputation by "advertising with a conscience."

ASCI is a voluntary organisation regulating advertising content for the advertising industry. ASCI deals with complaints received from Government authorities, Consumers and Industry, against advertisements which are considered as false, misleading, indecent, illegal, leading to unsafe practices, or unfair to competition, and, consequently, in contravention of the ASCI Code for self-regulation in advertising.