RCom, Idea pulled up by ASCI for misleading ads

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has pulled up 15 firms, including telecom companies, for running misleading ad campaigns during July to October this year.

During the said period, Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) of ASCI found 15 advertisers, including Reliance Communications (RCom) and Idea Cellular, FMCG player Dabur and Elder Pharma and coaching centre Career Launcher, violating the council's code.

RCom had to suspend a television commercial as it failed to substantiate its claim "with comparative data of other mobile services" that the company is the "fastest mobile broadband service in India".

When contacted, the company said it is currently making modifications in the TVC.

"RCom has already responded to ASCI and is making necessary modifications in the TVC," a spokesperson from RCom said.

Another mobile operator, Idea Cellular also had to modify its commercial, which showed people walking while talking on mobile phones, as ASCI upheld complaint from consumers that it encouraged "unsafe act of walking while talking on the mobile phone".

"Some action sequences as depicted in the TVC, shows dangerous practices and manifest a disregard for safety without justifiable reason," ASCI said.

Queries sent to the firm remained answered.

FMCG firm Dabur had to modify two of its TV commercials, which according to the CCC were misleading. The two ads were that of Dabur Vatika shampoo, which claimed that the product "eliminates dandruff from first wash" and that of Dabur Lal Tail which said massaging with the oil "leads to doubly faster growth in babies".

The CCC found that the claims were misleading.

Coaching centre Career Launcher's (CL) campaign claiming "four out of five IIM call-getters in CAT 2008 from Delhi and NCR" were its student was suspended as it was unsubstantiated.

The ASCI also found Elder Pharma's campaign of showing a woman unbuttoning shirt in advertisement of deodorant 'Fuel' to be vulgar and it was asked to be modified.