ASCI upholds complaints against 121 campaigns in May

Advertising sector watchdog ASCI upheld 121 complaints out of 140 it received in May against misleading campaigns, including those by Apple, Reckitt, Dabur, Benckiser, Videocon Industries, GlaxoSmithKline, L'Oreal and Jubilant Foodworks.
According to the Customer Complaints Council (CCC) of the Advertising Standard Council of India, health and personal care category continued to lead with 66 violations, which accounted more than half of the misleading ads during the month.
The watchdog upheld a complaint against leading Apple India for misrepresenting the facts regarding pricing of iPhone 5S and termed it as 'misleading'.
"The advertisement of iPhone 5S claims that the effective price of iPhone 5S as Rs 41,010. This appears to be incorrect and to be a misrepresentation of facts. The CCC viewed the print ad, and concluded that the ad distorts facts and is misleading," ASCI said in its order.

A complaint against the TV commercial of Idea Cellular was also upheld for "distorting facts". The cellular operator had claimed that the genuineness of Pashmina Shawl is confirmed when it passes through a finger ring.
ASCI also upheld complaint against Jubilant Foodworks, where the company in an advertisement of Dominos Pizza has shown two roommates use a third roommate's credit card to order a pizza without his permission.

"This is spreading an unacceptable message to youngsters to use someone else's credit card without permission," it said.
The CCC also took action against liquor firm RadicoKhaitan for surrogate advertisement of its flavoured vodka on YouTube.

Complaint against drug maker Sun Pharmaceutical Rid-Tobac ad that claimed it to be 100 per cent herbal was also upheld as misleading and adequately, scientifically not substantiated.
Reckitt Benckiser Healthcare was also pulled up for claiming its soap Dettol giving 10 times more protection against germs.
"... Was misleading as the advertiser's product with germicidal actives was compared against products without germicidal actives. Dettol being the "only" effective product was not substantiated by comparison with other products in the market with germicidal actives,"ASCI said in its order.
It also upheld complaints against Dabur ad of Odomos Naturals, where the FMCG firm had claimed it to be providing all-day protection from mosquitoes to children, as 'misleading by omission' as it does not provide clear instruction of the level of application and period for reapplication.

Similarly complaints against firms as Marico, DrBatra's Homeopaty, Heinz, VLCC Health Care, Emami and IRCTC.