The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), a self-regulatory body for protection of consumer interests, has stated that Idea Cellular’s advertisement campaigns for promoting their Idea Internet Network (IIN) is misleading the public.
For the month of February, 2015 ASCI received total of 167 complaints against Indian advertisers, and out of which, they upheld 125 complaints. Interestingly, out of 125 misleading advertisements, 73 were related with health and lifestyle niche.
Along with Idea’s campaigns, ASCI also upheld complaints against Horlicks which is owned by GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Ltd. Additionally, several complaints against educational institutions such as Institute of Management Studies (IMS), Triumphant Institute of Management Education Pvt. Ltd. (TIME), and Institute of Finance Banking & Insurance (IFBI) were also upheld.
The Misleading Ads
Idea’s Idea Internet Network:
This particular complaint was against Idea’s advertisement meant for Harayana, where it is shown that a girl empowers herself using Idea internet. As per ASCI, this ad not only disrespects the state, but also gives a false impression to all viewers that Harayana doesn’t not allow its daughters to study and Idea Internet can replace a college degree.
Similarly, several other IIN ads were also reported for highlighting false, and misleading information.
Horlicks
The complaint against Horlicks was regarding mis-information pertaining to examinations. As per various ad campaigns by Horlicks, they are trying to give an impressions that consuming Horlicks can help the student get more marks as it ‘improve concentration’.
It seems that Horlicks had deliberately targeted the examination sessions which is going on, to leverage the fear and apprehensions. ASCI has upheld the complaint.
Glucon-D Volt
This specific advertisement received complaint that it showcases kids catching Glucon D tablet directly into mouth, which is certainly dangerous.
ASCI said, “The visual of the advertisement shows kids flipping the Glucon-D Volt tablet into the air and catching in the mouth directly, which is seen as a dangerous act and is likely to encourage minors to emulate such act in a manner which could cause harm or injury”
Dabur Advertisement
Few ad were released by Dabur, which claimed that Dabur Chyawanprash can give kids 3 times more power and immunity to fight diseases, which was again without any proof or evidence.
ASCI said, “Dabur advertisement claims that Dabur Chyawanprash gives three times more immunity which makes kids strong from within and increases immunity that is the ability to fight illness by three times, were unsubstantiated,”
Recently, ASCI has initiated a unique online training module, which teaches both advertisement students and consumers to recognize ethical and factually correct ads. Participants can learn more about ASCI’s guidelines and ethical way of advertising products.
How come these advertisements are not noticed by the CCI or CAT?
I’m a student and I’m also from iin Tripura now I get to learning hotel management
However it’s true, that you now CAN go to college on the net. Not *Idea* net, of course, ANY internet, which is right that they got taken up for it.
highly misleading and confusing ads. IIN is simply a foolish concept. People are not so fool to believe that learning from IIN can help you build up a restaurant and occur in TIME magazine. Then who needs a college degree? Idea is anyways making up foolish ads since it came into focus.
IIN ad of Idea Network is one of the dumb ad I have ever seen. They are promoting use of internet like they have innovated internet.
To simply say that ads like that of Glucon-D was influencing minors to eat a tablet in a wrong way, it is a foolish thing as even in cartoons such type of scenes are shown but kids don’t copy them, instead of blocking these ads I think consumer himself should be a little mature.
And such restrictions on ads will confine their innovation.
They should be relaxed atleast to create such ads.
IIN advt also misleads people in other ways. IIN sounds similar to IIT which is synonymous with extra-ordinary brilliance. By showing a young boy build a drone to deliver eggs and he says he learnt that from IIN, the ad makes people believe that if people surf on IIN, they are as good as IITans.
But if taken in a positive manner, Idea ads are all simply brilliant, creative at best. You take Idea Internet jab lagaving, no ullu banawing series and what an Idea Sirji series. They are simply the best. They show how life can be improved with knowledge gained on Internet. But they show it as Idea Internet. We can tolerate that much.
But the Haryana insult claim may be a little exaggerated. It could have been any state. They only show the bad social habits that are prevailing in India and how knowledge gained from Internet can circumvent that stiffled life.
Just my two paisa :)