Advertising council to get more teeth

The ASCI, which is to partner the Department of Consumer Affairs soon, will be more like a quasi-judicial body rather than an advisory body.

Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), which is a self-regulatory body for the advertising industry, will soon be more than a watchdog for the industry.

ASCI, which is mainly a recommendatory body, is partnering with the government’s Department of Consumer Affairs in order to ensure better compliance with accepted codes of advertising. The partnership is expected to be announced very soon.

``ASCI will certainly get more teeth and will be more like a quasi-judicial body rather than an advisory body,’’ Srinivasan Swamy, CMD of RK Swamy BBDO, and board member of ASCI said. ``It is an important development for self regulation.’’

``ASCI has over 30 years of experience in dealing with complaints and ensuring compliance,’’ Arvind Sharma, former chairman & CEO, Leo Burnett – India subcontinent and a board member of ASCI, told this correspondent. ``Working with ASCI, the Department for Consumer Affairs will have ready infrastructure, experience and domain knowledge of ASCI and from the consumer point of view compliance can be ensured in a shorter period of time.’’

ASCI has, over the years, become increasingly active in addressing concern regarding content in advertising. It already works with the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and the after ASCI’s code of ethics was incorporated in the Cable TV network Rules in 2006, television advertisements have to comply with and follow the rulings of the ASCI’s Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) which can ask for banning of or modification of advertisements.

Mr. Sharma said there were no problems of compliance by advertisers and that by and large, advertisers complied with the rulings when asked to modify or withdraw an advertisement which violated any laws of the land or affected sensitivities.  

It is believed that working with the government will help ensure even better and speedier compliance.

Mr. Swamy, who is also president, International Advertising Association – India chapter, said the fact that the government has embraced and supported the need for self-regulation of the industry makes it interesting. ``Self regulation will continue and advertisers will more readily accept decisions of ASCI.’’