Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) received 4,500 complaints about Indian ad violations between April and September, with the healthcare sector identified as a major contributor. The gaming industry outranked education as the most violative sector, according to ASCI.
Complaints surged 34% in April to September 2023 compared to the previous year, with 4,491 complaints received ASCI. The organization reviewed 27% more ads, identifying 564 potential legal violations, a 22% increase from the past.
Digital media dominated violations, accounting for 79% of reported complaints, whereas print and television constituted 17% and 3% of the infringements, respectively. Consumer complaints made up 21.3% of the total processed complaints, with ASCI proactively initiating 75.4% of the complaints.
The prevalence of problematic advertisements was evident in digital ads, with 79% of violations originating from online platforms. Interestingly, influencers were linked to 22% of the flagged ads, with 99.4% of these influencer-associated ads breaching established guidelines.
The healthcare sector contributed significantly to non-compliant ads, constituting 21% of the processed advertisements. Furthermore, real money gaming topped the non-compliance list in ASCI’s 2022-23 report.
In an encouraging trend, ASCI reported an impressive 92% compliance with its recommendations, indicating an increased inclination among influencers towards aligning with advertising standards. Nonetheless, the organization intensified its regulatory measures, ensuring that 98% of processed ads required some level of modification to align with established standards.