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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Netflix India names Rekha Rane director of films and series marketing

Streaming giant bets on a seasoned marketer who helped build Amazon and Netflix into household names

Published

5 days ago

February 9, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Netflix has put a proven brand builder at the helm of its films and series marketing in India, naming Rekha Rane as director in a move that signals sharper focus on audience growth and cultural cut-through in one of its most hotly contested markets.

Rane steps into the role after seven years at Netflix, where she has quietly shaped how the platform sells stories to India. Her latest promotion, effective February 2026, crowns a run that spans brand, slate and product marketing across originals, licensed content and new verticals such as games.

A strategic marketing and communications professional with roughly 15 years’ experience, Rane has spent much of her career building technology-led consumer businesses and new categories, notably e-commerce and subscription video on demand. She was part of the early push that introduced Amazon.in, Prime Video and Netflix to Indian homes, then helped turn them into everyday brands.

At Netflix, she most recently served as head of brand and slate marketing for India from March 2024 to February 2026, leading teams across media and marketing for global and local content portfolios. Before that, as manager for original films and series marketing, she led IP creation and go-to-market strategy for titles including Guns and Gulaabs, Kaala Paani, The Railway Men* and The Great Indian Kapil Show, spanning both binge and weekly-release formats.

Her earlier Netflix roles covered product discovery and promotion in India and integrated campaign strategy to drive conversations around the content slate, product awareness and brand-equity metrics.

Before Netflix, Rane logged more than three years at Amazon in brand marketing roles in Bengaluru. There she handled national and regional campaigns for Amazon.in, worked on customer assistance programmes in growth geographies and contributed to the go-to-market strategy for the launch of Prime Video India.

Her career began well away from streaming. At Reliance Brands in Mumbai, she worked on retail marketing for Diesel and Superdry. A stint at Leo Burnett saw her work on primary research for P&G Tide, mapping Indian shoppers’ paths to purchase. Earlier still, at Orange in the United Kingdom, she rose from sales assistant to store manager, running a team and owning monthly P&L for a retail outlet.

The arc is telling. As global streamers fight for attention in a crowded Indian market, executives who understand both mass retail behaviour and digital habit-building are prized. Rane’s career sits at that intersection.

For Netflix, the bet is simple: in a market spoilt for choice, sharp marketing can still tilt the screen. And with Rane now leading the charge, the streamer is signalling it wants not just viewers, but fandom.

Brands

Orient Beverages pops the fizz with steady Q3 gains and rising profits

Kolkata-based beverage maker reports stronger revenues and profits for December quarter.

Published

5 days ago

February 9, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: A fizzy quarter with a steady aftertaste that’s how Orient Beverages Limited, the company that manufactures and distributes packaged drinking water under the brand name Bisleri closed the December 2025 period, as the Kolkata-based drinks maker reported improved revenues and a healthy rise in profits, signalling operational stability in a competitive beverage market.

For the quarter ended December 31, 2025, Orient Beverages posted standalone revenue from operations of Rs 39.98 crore, up from Rs 36.42 crore in the previous quarter and Rs 33.53 crore in the same quarter last year. Total income for the quarter stood at Rs 42.24 crore, reflecting consistent demand and stable pricing across its beverage portfolio.

Profit before tax for the quarter came in at Rs 3.47 crore, a sharp improvement from Rs 1.31 crore in the September quarter and Rs 0.39 crore a year ago. After accounting for tax expenses of Rs 0.79 crore, the company reported a net profit of Rs 2.68 crore, nearly three times the Rs 0.99 crore recorded in the preceding quarter.

On a nine-month basis, the momentum remained intact. Revenue from operations for the period ended December 31, 2025 rose to Rs 117.66 crore, compared with Rs 106.95 crore in the corresponding period last year. Net profit for the nine months climbed to Rs 5.51 crore, more than double the Rs 2.18 crore reported in the same period of the previous financial year.

The consolidated numbers told a similar story. For the December quarter, consolidated revenue from operations stood at Rs 45.06 crore, while profit after tax came in at Rs 2.06 crore. For the nine-month period, consolidated revenue touched Rs 133.57 crore, with net profit of Rs 4.49 crore, underscoring the group’s improving profitability trajectory.

Operating expenses remained largely controlled, with cost of materials, employee benefits and other expenses broadly aligned with revenue growth. The company continued to operate within a single reportable segment beverages simplifying its cost structure and reporting framework.

The unaudited financial results were reviewed by the Audit Committee and approved by the Board of Directors at its meeting held on 7 February 2026. Statutory auditors carried out a limited review and reported no material misstatements in the results.

In a market where margins are often squeezed by input costs and competition, Orient Beverages’ latest numbers suggest the company has found a reliable rhythm not explosive, but steady enough to keep the fizz alive.

MAM

Washington Post CEO exits abruptly after newsroom cuts spark backlash

Leadership change follows layoffs, protests and a bruising battle over trust.

Published

5 days ago

February 9, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: When the presses are rolling but patience runs out, even the editor’s chair isn’t safe. The Washington Post announced on Saturday that its chief executive and publisher Will Lewis is stepping down with immediate effect, bringing a sudden end to a turbulent two-year tenure marked by financial strain, newsroom unrest and public backlash.

Lewis’s exit comes just days after the Bezos-owned newspaper announced sweeping job cuts that triggered protests outside its Washington headquarters and a wave of anger from readers and staff. While newspapers across the US are grappling with shrinking revenues and digital disruption, Lewis’s leadership had increasingly come under fire for how those pressures were handled.

The Post confirmed that Jeff D’Onofrio, a former Tumblr CEO who joined the organisation last year as chief financial officer, has taken over as CEO and publisher, effective immediately. In an email to staff, later shared by reporters on social media, Lewis said it was “the right time for me to step aside.”

The leadership change follows the announcement of large-scale redundancies earlier this week. While the Post did not officially confirm numbers, The New York Times reported that around 300 of the paper’s roughly 800 journalists were laid off. Entire teams were dismantled, including the Post’s Middle East bureau and its Kyiv-based correspondent covering the war in Ukraine.

Sports, graphics and local reporting were sharply reduced, and the paper’s daily podcast, Post Reports, was suspended. On Thursday, hundreds of journalists and supporters gathered outside the Post’s downtown office in protest, calling the cuts a blow to public-interest journalism.

Former executive editor Marty Baron described the moment as “among the darkest days in the history of one of the world’s greatest news organisations.”

Lewis defended his record in his farewell note, saying “difficult decisions” were taken to secure the paper’s long-term future and protect its ability to publish “high-quality nonpartisan news”. But his tenure coincided with growing scrutiny of editorial independence at the Post.

Owner Jeff Bezos faced criticism for reining in the paper’s traditionally liberal editorial page and blocking an endorsement of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris ahead of the 2024 US election. The move was widely seen as breaking the long-standing firewall between ownership and editorial decision-making.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, around 250,000 digital subscribers cancelled their subscriptions after the paper declined to endorse Harris. The Post reportedly lost about $100 million in 2024 as advertising and subscription revenues slid.

While the wider newspaper industry continues to battle declining print advertising and the pull of social media, some national titles have stabilised. Rivals such as The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times have managed to build sustainable digital businesses, a turnaround that has so far eluded the Post despite its billionaire backing.

As Jeff D’Onofrio steps into the role, the challenge is stark, restore confidence inside the newsroom, win back readers who walked away, and prove that one of America’s most storied newspapers can still find its footing in a brutally competitive media landscape.