Self-Declaration Certificate: Day 1 sees 5.8k sign-ups from brands including Dermicool, Sony LIV, and Hyundai

On the first day of officially beginning the registration of the Self-Declaration Certificate, 5,894 entries have been registered at the time of writing this report. These registrations were made by various brands and advertising agencies seeking compliance with the new mandate.

The response on the initial day reflects a significant engagement from the industry, highlighting a proactive approach towards adhering to the regulatory requirements.

Some of the prominent brands that can be seen on the portal are Sony LIV, Dermicool, Hyundai, Navratna Cool Talc, CoinSwitch, TOEFL iBT Test, Country Delight, Patanjali, and more. However, the list of these entries predominantly consists of test or dummy entries.

As the submission process unfolds, it is evident that brands and agencies are actively navigating the procedures to ensure timely compliance with the self-declaration mandate.

While this initial turnout is promising, many brands are still in the process of registering for their advertisements and the certificates. Additionally, there appears to be some confusion regarding the submission process, which may be contributing to the ongoing registration efforts.

With regards to the type of ads submitted, entries for television advertisements were less compared to print ads, with none for out-of-home (OOH) advertisements. Internet static and video ads are in the majority as of now.

The self-declaration certificate is required to be obtained by all advertisers and advertising agencies for all new advertisements that are issued/telecast/aired/published on or after June 18, 2024. The certificate is mandated for all advertising agencies and advertisers publishing the ads.

For TV and radio advertisements, advertisers need to submit the certificate on the Broadcast Seva Portal of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), whereas, for print and digital media advertisements, certificates need to be submitted on the portal of the Press Council of India (PCI).

This portal has been established to facilitate the submission of self-declaration certificates by advertisers/advertising agencies.

Details of the advertisement to be filled

i. Product/service being advertised
ii. Advertisement Title
iii. Brief description of the advertisement in approximately 100-200 words, highlighting any specific features or claims made in the advertisement
iv. Full script of advertisement (in pdf file)
v. URL of advertisement audio/video for TV/radio/internet advertisement OR PDF of actual advertisement for print/static internet advertisement
vi. Proposed date of first broadcast/publishing of advertisement

Documents required before submission of the self-declaration certificate

i. Letter of authorisation: A Letter identifying the representative of the advertiser/advertising agency as one authorised to fill and submit the Self-Declaration Certificate shall be uploaded while filling details of the authorised representative

ii. Full script of advertisement: Advertisers need to provide the complete written script of the advertisement that will be published or broadcast. This script should include all dialogue, voiceovers, text displayed on-screen, and any other verbal or written content featured in the advertisement

iii. Advertisement video/audio file: Advertisers must submit the actual audio/video file of the advertisement through a URL. The advertisement video/audio file should accurately represent the content that will be aired or published. It should include visuals, audio, and any special effects or animations used in the advertisement. The source of the URL must be kept available for reference at any future dates

iv. CBFC Certificate (if available): The advertisement has been certified by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), advertisers should provide a copy of the CBFC certificate