ASCI bans a zoozoo ad

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) today said it has banned two commercials, including one of Vodafone Essar's Zoozoos series, and has instructed modifications in another ad with immediate effect.

The Consumer Complaints Councils (CCC) has banned a Vodafone Essar advertisement, which featured the Zoozoo character committing suicide, as it shows a dangerous action, which is likely to encourage minors to emulate such acts, ASCI said in a statement.

The ad manifested a disregard for safety and encouraged negligence, it added.

An advertisement, which was banned, was by the Erudite Educational Centre claiming "3 out of 4 IIM calls from Kolkata" have been a part of the Erudite training programme.

However, the claim was unsupported and unsubstantiated by an independent source, ASCI said adding that the advertisement was considered misleading and hence, was asked to be taken off air.

Yum! Restaurants (India) ad, showing a pizza for a particular amount when in reality the cost of the pizza was higher than communicated in the advertisement, was asked to be modified.

"The number of complaints against misleading, dishonest and indecent ads has substantially increased in the last two months after ASCI launching its social awareness campaign. Consumers are getting more and more aware of their rights and duties," ASCI Secretary-General Alan Colaco said.

He added that advertisers, however, were taking precautions so that creativity does not mar authenticity of their claims and there is almost 98 per cent compliance by advertisers on ASCI's decisions on complaints.