DS Group drags Pan Parag maker to ASCI

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has given 15 days time to the Kothari Group to respond to the allegation that a new commercial of Pan Parag masala had used the same tag-line, 'Choice of Young India' that DS Group claims to use for its Rajnigandha non-tobacco mouth freshener, Meetha Mazaa.     

"We have received the complaint. The initial process of screening the identity of the complainant has been done. And we have given 15-days notice to the advertisers of Kothari Group to respond," ASCI Secretary Allan Collaco told PTI.     

The matter would be heard by the ASCI board in its meeting to be held toward August-end.      A DS Group official alleged that Kothari group had copied the baseline of its new mouth freshener, Meetha Maaza.     

"They have used the same tag-line, 'Choice of Young India' in their new commercial of Pan Parag masala," the official said.     

Meetha Maaza was launched in January and the ad campaign came out in March, DS Group official added.     

"However, Pan Parag's Rising India ad was first aired in June this year and it is still going on various TV channels," the official added.     

DS Group had filed a written complaint to ASCI in June this year.