MAM

ASCI pulls up 11 ads in November 2012

Published

13 years ago

February 5, 2013

MUMBAI: The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) upheld 11 of the 19 complaints it received against product advertisements in November 2012, including Emami‘s advertisement about Himani Sona Chandi Chyawanprash and Dainik Bhaskar‘s about its position in Bhopal.

Complaints against advertisements by Bajaj Electricals and Havells India about their water heaters too were upheld by the Consumer Complaints Council (CCI) of ASCI.

Of the 11 advertisements found misleading, three are from the healthcare category, two from home and personal care, one from education, three from consumer durables and one each from media and ‘others‘.

A complaint against Signal Cavity Fighter toothpaste was not directed to consumers in India, and hence it was held to be outside the purview of ASCI.

ASCI‘s National Advertising Monitoring Service (NAMS) helped in tracking down the misleading claims made by advertisers in various sectors.

A complaint against Emami said its ad claims, “Take Himani Sona Chandi Chyawanprash every day for a strong body and razor sharp mind”, “Gold removes toxins to boost immunity power”, “Silver activates neurons to enhance memory and concentration”, “51 rare herbs protect from weather changes, pollution and general illness” and thus the advertiser should provide supporting technical submission, details of tests/trials conducted, with comparative data, in substantiation of these claims. The CCC concluded that the claims mentioned in the advertisement and cited in the complaint were inadequately substantiated.

The complaint against Maruti Herbal‘s advert on Stay-On Capsules said that the advertiser claimed, “Stay – On Cap & Oil contains ginseng, shilajit, salampanja, valuable herbs and bhasmas that keep you energetic and powerful and makes you muscular,” but there was no data provided to substantiate the same with proof of efficacy. The CCC concluded that the claims mentioned in the advertisement and cited in the complaint were not substantiated. Also, the advertisement violated The Drugs & Magic Remedies Act and contravened Chapters I.1 and III.4 of the Code. The complaint was thus upheld.

The third advertisement to be held misleading in the healthcare category was Diwan Chand Imaging and Research Centre‘s Stan Health Check Programme. As per the complaint, the advertiser claims that, Diwan Chand Imaging & Research Centre “has the most advanced diagnostic modalities” and “Is India‘s first integrated diagnostic chain of imaging network”. These claims however are not substantiated with scientific evidence or proof of efficacy along with appropriate statistical and support data. The advertiser provided proof of the installation of the latest state of the art ultrasound machine. The claim, “have the most advanced diagnostic modalities”, was substantiated. This part of the complaint was not upheld. In the absence of comparative data, the CCC concluded that the claim, “Is India‘s first integrated diagnostic chain of imaging network”, was not substantiated and in this regard, the advertisement contravened Chapter I.1 of the Code and the complaint was upheld. The advertiser has subsequently modified the advertisement.

Amara Remedies Limited‘s advertisement for Elavo Toilet Seat Sanitizer Spray was also considered misleading by the CCC. The advertisement claims, “Spray Elavo on toilet seat and enjoy a 99.9 per cent safe toilet experience in just 5 seconds.” Though the claim, “Spray Elavo on toilet seat and enjoy a 99.9% safe toilet experience” was substantiated, he advertisement though fails to substantiate the claim of being effective within five seconds with proof and efficacy, research data along with other appropriate support data. The complaint was thus upheld.

The complaint against Silvermaple Healthcare Services Pvt Ltd‘s advertisement on Direct Hair Implantation was pulled up for contravening Chapter 1.1 of the Code. The advertisement headline states, “No one gets you your hair back like DHI”. Also, the advertisement claims that DHI “is the best hair restoration treatment in the world with Total Care System” .These claims need to be substantiated with statistical and other necessary data. In the absence of scientific data from the advertiser, the CCC concluded that the claims mentioned in the advertisement and cited in the complaint were not substantiated and thus the complaint was upheld.

The advertisement by CADD Centre Training Services Pvt Ltd was also pulled up for misleading content by ASCI. The advertisement claims, CADD Centre “is Asia‘s No.1 CADD Training Company”. The claim needs to be substantiated with comparative data of other leading training institutes, certification and other necessary data. The CCC noted that CADD Centre Training Services is the largest network of dedicated CADD training centre in whole of Asia with over 300 training centres spanning across 13 countries in Asia and Africa. In the absence of comparative data, the claim, “Is Asia‘s No.1 CADD Training company” was not substantiated. The advertisement was found to contravene chapter i.1 of the code and the complaint was upheld. The advertiser has subsequently modified the advertisement.

Luminous Water Technologies Pvt Ltd‘s advertisement of Livpure RO Water Purifier was found to have plagiarised content. The TVC states that Livpure Water Purifier gives “Duniya ka sabse shudh pani”. Kent Water Purifier‘s last campaign was based on the key proposition that Kent provides “Duniya Ka Sabse Shudh Pani”. This has been carried out in all their communication material since 2011 consistently. The complaint pointed out that this was a blatant copy of the same proposition and a gross violation of Kent Water Purifier‘s brand property. The CCC concluded that the tagline of Livpure Water Purifier that it gives “Duniya ka sabse shudh pani” was similar to the tagline of Kent Water Purifier so as to suggest plagiarism. The advertisement contravened Chapter IV.3 of the Code and the complaint was thus upheld. The advertiser has subsequently modified the advertisement.

Bajaj Electricals Ltd‘s Bajaj Water Heater advertisement was found misleading on some counts. As per the complaint, the advertisement claims, Bajaj Water Heater is “India‘s No. 1 water heater”, “Bajaj Rapidotherm Water Heaters‘ powerful heating coil helps heat water 50% faster than any other water heater”. The CCC said these claims need to be substantiated with scientific evidence, comparative analysis data, and safety data along with appropriate support data. The CCC concluded that the claim that Bajaj Water Heaters is “India‘s No. 1 Water Heater” was substantiated on the basis of a syndicated retail audit done by independent market research company and thus this part of the complaint was not upheld.however, the advertisement‘s claim that “Bajaj Rapidotherm Water Heaters powerful heating coil helps heat water 50% faster than any other water heater” was not substantiated with comparative data of other water heaters of the same electrical rating (3000 watts). The advertisement thus contravened Chapter I.1 of the Code and the complaint was upheld. The advertiser has subsequently modified the advertisement.

Havells India Ltd‘s advertisement of Havells Water Heater was found to be exaggerated and misleading. The advertiser has claimed “24 Hours Hot Water in Just ? unit of electricity”. The interpretation of this is that, one will get 24 hours hot water supply for usage in just ? KWH of electricity. The complainant found out that ? unit electricity is consumed by the geyser for keeping the water, already heated and stored inside, warm at a particular temperature for 24 hours if no water is drawn out for usage. The claim is hence highly exaggerated and misleading. The TVC also claims, “24 Ghante On Rahe to bhi Sirf ? unit bijli lage To Off Kyun Kare?” This is true only in the case where the water geyser is not used through the day. This claim is also misleading as the consumption of electricity would be considerably higher on usage of the water heater. The CCC concluded that the claim that “24 Hours Hot Water in Just ? unit of electricity” is misleading as it does not account for heating of water from ambient conditions to hot conditions. The advertisement contravened Chapter I.4 of the Code and the complaint was upheld. The advertiser has subsequently modified the advertisement.

The Dainik Bhaskar Group has once again been pulled up by the CCC. As per the complaint, “Dainik Bhaskar is making a comparison on the basis of Net Paid circulation as per market estimates treating Patrika newspaper on 1/8th position in respect of circulation in the city of Bhopal. The remarks are totally untrue and baseless as the basis on which the comparison was said to be made was not shown in the advertisement nor the publication Dainik Bhaskar has stated the name of any agency on which such comparison was made. As evident from the website of DAVP, the circulation data of Dainik Bhaskar (as provided by RNI) and circulation data of Partika newspaper (as provided by Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) are almost equal but despite of the above fact Dainik Bhaskar have diminished the circulation size of Patrika newspaper to the extent of 1/8th as shown by the graphical comparison.” The CCC concluded that the claim that Dainik Bhaskar “had 8 times more Net Paid Circulation than Patrika in the city of Bhopal”, was not substantiated with ABC/RNI or IRS Data, and was misleading and thus the complaint was upheld. The advertiser has subsequently withdrawn the advertisement.

Central UP Gas Limited‘s advertisement on CNG was pulled up by ASCI. As per the compliant, “Central UP Gas Ltd (CUCL) CNG”, is 100% Safe”. The claim needs to be substantiated with scientific evidence.The CCC concluded that the claim, “100% safe” was not substantiated with scientific evidence. The advertisement contravened Chapter I.1 of the Code and the complaint was upheld. The advertiser has subsequently modified the advertisement.

During the month of November, the CCC also received complaints against 7 advertisements. The complaints were received against the advertisements of Emami Ltd‘s ‘Himani Fast Relief‘, Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited‘s ‘Revital Capsules‘, Cure Spect‘s ‘Eye Care‘, L‘OREAL INDIA PVT LTD‘s ‘Inoa Hair colour‘, PARLE PRODUCTS P. LTD‘s ‘Parle Londonderry‘, MICROMAX INFORMATICS LTD‘s ‘Micromax Ninja 3.5 & Ninja 4‘, Dabur India Limited‘s ‘Dabur Chyawanprakash Sugar Free‘. However, as these advertisements did not contravene ASCI‘s codes or guidelines, the complaints were not upheld.

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MAM

Why the Best Campaigns Today Start With Insights, Not Ideas

Published

22 hours ago

February 7, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: For decades, creative storytelling has been the cornerstone of brand communication. The “big idea” amplified through catchy jingles, striking visuals, and memorable hooks was once the gold standard for relevance and recall. Creativity defined presence, and the loudest, boldest campaigns often won attention.

But the marketing landscape today looks very different.

Audiences are more exposed, more discerning, and far less patient. They are inundated with messages across platforms, formats, and creators, often encountering hundreds of brand touchpoints in a single day. In this environment, creativity alone especially when untethered from real consumer truths is no longer enough to move behaviour. Great ideas are abundant. Meaningful impact is not.

This is where insights matter.

The difference may seem subtle, but it is fundamental. An idea represents what a brand wants to say. An insight reflects what the audience is already thinking, feeling, or experiencing. The most effective campaigns emerge not from cleverness alone, but from the intersection of these two forces.

From creativity to relevance

As the marketing ecosystem becomes increasingly saturated, consumers are growing immune to inflated claims and surface-level storytelling. Even beautifully crafted campaigns can fail if they are disconnected from lived realities. The gap between a brand’s internal enthusiasm and the audience’s actual sentiment can be the difference between attention and indifference.

Insights help bridge this gap. They force brands to pause, listen, and observe to understand emotions, behaviours, cultural contexts, and contradictions. Instead of trying to be remembered through louder branding, insight-led campaigns allow audiences to see their own experiences reflected back at them. When a campaign articulates a problem that feels personal, relevance is created. Trust follows.

Insight is interpretation, not information

It’s important to distinguish between data and insight. Data tells us what is happening. Insight explains why it is happening. While data is measurable and structured, insights are interpretive and dynamic, shaped by real-time sentiment and human behaviour.

Modern consumers are full of contradictions. They demand authenticity while remaining deeply aspirational. They want brands to take a stand but expect nuance, not instruction. They seek transparency, yet are drawn to curated narratives. These tensions are not obstacles, they are opportunities. When understood correctly, they can shape communication that feels timely, credible, and human.

Some of the most effective campaigns today are born not in isolated brainstorm rooms, but through listening to audiences, creators, editors, online communities, and cultural signals. Insights often exist in blurred patterns, but once identified, they can redefine how a brand connects.

A recent campaign we executed for Domino’s illustrates this shift clearly. The brief wasn’t to make a pizza look bigger or louder. Instead, it was rooted in a simple behavioural truth: in Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets, sharing food is an emotional act tied to family, celebration, and value perception. The “Big Big 6-in-1 Pizza” became a canvas for this insight. The campaign leaned into regional voices and real sharing moments, allowing people to show how they experienced the product rather than being told why they should buy it. Influencers and celebrities amplified genuine usage, not scripted endorsements. The impact from engagement to footfall to sales came not from a clever idea, but from understanding how people relate to food in their everyday lives.

Shifting the starting point

Today’s consumer landscape demands a shift in perspective from “What should the brand say?” to “What does the audience need to hear right now?” This marks a move away from inward-led marketing toward communication shaped by behaviour, emotion, and cultural relevance.

Brands leading today are keen observers. They notice when perfection stops resonating. They sense when luxury shifts from aspiration to excess. They recognise when influencer content begins to feel repetitive and trust erodes.

Virality, too, is often misunderstood. It is not a strategy to chase, but an outcome. Campaigns rooted in insight do not aim to go viral; they aim to resonate. When content reflects something familiar, a shared truth, emotion, or tension, it travels organically because people see themselves in it.

Ideas attract attention. Insights build connection.

The evolving role of PR

For PR professionals, this shift has redefined success. Coverage volume alone no longer tells the full story. The more meaningful questions today are: Did the communication influence behaviour? Did it align with cultural conversations? Did it address a real consumer pain point?

Insight-first thinking allows these questions to be answered at the planning stage, rather than corrected midway through execution.

In a world where formats and platforms will continue to evolve, what remains constant is the power of authentic communication. The strongest campaigns today do not begin with a brainstorm, but with observation, interpretation, and empathy. That is not just better marketing, it is more responsible, resilient, and meaningful brand-building.

Brands

Ahmad Muneeb elevated to VP – HR centre of excellence at Zepto

Published

22 hours ago

February 7, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Zepto has elevated Ahmad Muneeb to vice president – HR centre of excellence, placing him at the helm of the company’s total rewards, executive compensation and organisational effectiveness as the quick-commerce firm powers through a high-growth phase.

The move follows his stint as senior director of the HR COE, where he played a central role in preparing the company for IPO readiness while scaling its people analytics capabilities. During this period, Muneeb helped align complex performance management structures with more streamlined and scalable employee experience frameworks.

In his new role, he will steer the design of total rewards strategies, executive compensation planning and organisational design, while also overseeing performance management, employee experience initiatives and people analytics programmes.

Before joining Zepto, Muneeb spent nearly three years at Meesho, where he held multiple rewards and HR business partner roles. Earlier in his career, he worked as a senior rewards consultant at Mercer, advising high-tech clients on compensation benchmarking, pay structures and talent-focused reward frameworks.

He began his hr journey at Cognizant, where he supported compensation programmes for nearly two lakh employees across India and worked on m&a compensation alignment and skill-based pay initiatives. Prior to moving into HR, Muneeb started his career as a software engineer at Netcracker, bringing a technical grounding to his people strategy work.

With a mix of consulting rigour, start-up agility and enterprise-scale experience, Muneeb’s elevation signals Zepto’s continued focus on building robust people systems as it races towards its next phase of growth.

Brands

Dell names Aishwarya Sudhakar director of marketing intelligence

Published

1 day ago

February 7, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

INDIA: Dell Technologies is doubling down on artificial intelligence in marketing. The company has elevated Aishwarya Sudhakar to director of marketing measures and intelligence engineering, tasking her with building an enterprise-wide framework for AI-led measurement and customer intelligence.

In the role, Sudhakar will oversee unified data strategy, advanced modelling and context engineering: areas increasingly central to how large technology firms link marketing performance to business outcomes. Her remit includes shaping scalable systems that support Dell’s next phase of AI deployment across marketing functions.

Sudhakar steps into the position after holding a series of senior roles at Dell, including AI lead for marketing orchestration, senior manager, and senior data scientist in customer insights. Across these roles, she led global teams working on large-scale machine learning models, data pipelines and customer analytics.

Before joining Dell, she began her career at Tata Consultancy Services as a systems engineer and later founded Oclor, a shopping discovery start-up, where she built end-to-end technology platforms. The combination of enterprise-scale data work and entrepreneurial experience has shaped her focus on product-led, engineering-first innovation.

As technology companies seek sharper attribution and intelligence in an AI-saturated market, Dell’s move underscores the growing importance of marketing measurement as an engineering discipline rather than a reporting function.