Want to complain regarding an obscene or fraudulent advertisement? You can dial 1800222724. You have to give the TV channel or newspaper’s name, date of appearance, and other details and register a complaint and actions will be taken immediately either to modify or withdraw the advertisement.
Advertising Standard Council of India (ASCI) the apex regulatory body of advertising industry has launched a national campaign to uproot the evil of misleading, dishonest and indecent advertisements.
Through this movement, the ASCI aims to encourage masses and responsible Indian citizens to report any kind of dishonest or misleading advertisements of any advertiser across all categories.
In recent years, the quantity of false, misleading and offensive advertising has resulted in consumers having an increasing disbelief in advertising, and a growing resentment of it. “Misleading false advertisement also constitutes unfair competition. It could lead to market-place disasters or even litigation,” reveals Alan Collaco, secretary general of the ASCI.
“If this kind of advertising continues, it won’t be long before statutory regulations and procedures will be imposed that will make even fair, truthful, decent advertising cumbersome if not impossible. This certainly will affect the ability to compete and grow for India as a nation,” signed off Collaco.
10 Most Controversial Ads –
Dolce and Gabbana
A highly suggestive ad by fashion designers Dolce and Gabbana was banned from Italian publications. The advertisement showed a woman pinned to the ground by the wrists by a bare-chested man, with other men in the background looking on. It offended the dignity of the woman.
Girbaud Fashion House
‘The Last Supper’ ad by Girbaud Fashion House was banned by a tribunal in Paris because it offended Roman Catholics. The work however was a photograph based on a painting, not the Bible. There was nothing in it that is offensive to the Catholic religion.
Levi’s
The Levi’s ‘Lead Me Into Temptation’ campaign raised the heckles of Christians who were affronted by the use of a Biblical sounding slogan and Jesus Christ’s nude imagery for commercial purposes.
MR Coffee
Malaika Arora had met future husband Arbaaz Khan while both were shooting for an ad for MR Coffee. The ad, due to its sexual overtones, generated quite a controversy. Even Amul came up with a parody ad around it.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)
An animal rights poster showing Baywatch actress Pamela Anderson in a bikini with her body parts marked as pieces of meat was banned by authorities in Montreal. The ad for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said ‘All animals have the same parts. Have a heart. Go vegetarian.’
VIP Frenchie X
An ad for VIP Frenchie X underwear showed a girl entering a room to find a young man in his underwear was also deemed obscene.
Calida (Swiss innerwear)
Bipasha Basu and her ex-boyfriend Dino Morea got cozy for an ad for Swiss underwear brand Calida. The image of Morea tugging Basu’s panty with his teeth had a caption ‘And you thought your appetite for indulgence could only be whetted by Swiss chocolates.’
KamaSutra
Pooja Bedi played a hot game of chess and had a steamy shower with Marc Robinson while Viveka Babajee and Inder Sudan went wild under a waterfall, all to sell condoms appropriately branded – Kamasutra. The same issue of Debonair magazine that had the ad sold out in a matter of days.
Lux Cozy
The Ministry had issued orders banning Lux Cozy ad with a tagline ‘Apna Luck Pehen Ke Chalo’. The lucky scantily clad man in the ad is ogled at and gets a peck on the cheek by a grateful female in bikini for finding her lost dog.
Tuff Shoes
Milind Soman and his ex-girlfriend Madhu Sapre posed nude in a print ad for Tuff Shoes. Creatively it was ahead of its time, but it was considered as an act that could corrupt society’s moral values. The case lasted for 14 years, after which the courts acquitted the accused.
