Healthcare tops as the most violative sector: ASCI

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has published its half-yearly complaints report for the period April to September 2023, offering insights into emerging trends and insights in advertising standards.

The report shows a 34 percent increase in complaints (4491) processed, coupled with a corresponding 27 percent rise in the number of ads processed (3501).

Out of 3,501 ads processed, 564 (16 percent) were flagged as potential direct violations of the law, which represents a 22 percent increase over the previous year. Thirty-five percent of the total ads processed were not contested and were promptly withdrawn or modified. A further 47 percent of ads were found violative of the ASCI Code and the advertisements were recommended to be withdrawn or modified. Only two percent of complaints were dismissed.

Of the 3,501 complaints processed, digital media remained the primary source of violations at 79 percent. Print media and television contributed 17 percent and three percent, respectively, while other mediums accounted for two percent of the reported violations.

Consumer complaints comprised 21.3 percent of the total complaints, indicating significant public engagement in upholding advertising standards. 75.4 percent of complaints were initiated suo-motu by ASCI, demonstrating the organisation's proactive approach to identifying potential violations.

Here are some key findings from the report:

1.Digital dominance: A whopping 79 percent of problematic ads were found online, highlighting the challenges in the digital advertising world.

2.Regulatory vigilance: ASCI's focused monitoring mechanisms boosted digital surveillance to combat objectionable content in the medium. Ninety-eight percent of overall ads processed required some form of modification.

3.Voluntary compliance: In the digital advertising sphere, influencers contributed to 22 percent of total ads complained against at ASCI. Around 99.4 percent of advertisements processed for influencer guidelines were found to be in violation. ASCI received compliance with its recommendations in 92 percent of influencer cases taken up v/s 86 percent in previous years, signalling greater compliance with ASCI’s CCC recommendations.

4.Healthcare in the spotlight: Healthcare emerged as the most violative sector, constituting 21 percent of all ads processed. The surge is attributed to a high volume of drug and medicine advertisements on digital platforms.

5.Legal violations: ASCI observed a significant increase in ads directly violating the Drug and Magic Remedies Act of 1954, leading to the issuance of intimations to advertisers advising withdrawal or modification of the advertisement. ASCI referred 565 advertisements to the Ministry of AYUSH in just six months, compared to 464 ads referred in the last financial year.

Manisha Kapoor, chief executive officer and secretary-general, ASCI, said, “ASCI remains committed to addressing the challenges posed by digital advertising. All stakeholders need to come together to tackle the issue of online safety of consumers given that they spend high amounts of time there, and where there is a proliferation of objectionable advertising. Our constant vigilance of the online space helps call out the advertisements and brands that violate the ASCI code requiring ads to be truthful, decent and safe. We hope that the various sectors recognise the breaches and commit to more responsible advertising.”