Indiantelevision.com Team

(24 June 2006 8:30 pm)

MUMBAI: The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has not upheld complaints against job site naukri.com's 'Hari Sadu' television commercial (TVC).

The TVC shows an arrogant employer named Hari Sadu answering a phone. An employee agrees to help spell his name out to the person on the line. The employee makes fun of the name i.e. a for arrogant, r for rascal etc.

The Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) of ASCI in its letter to Naukri.com has stated, “The CCC concludes that the portrayal of a fictitious character in the TVC, in a humorous situation was not likely to give rise to grave or widespread offence.”

The Hari Sadu commercial was facing two kinds of complaints:

-- From individuals whose name was Hari
-- From individuals who felt that Hari was a sacred name of God

On 23 March ASCI had sent a letter to Naukri.com with reference to complaints received against the Hari Sadu TVC asking the TVC be withdrawn since the manner in which the name Hari was being used was highly objectionable as it was a sacred and pious name.

Naukri.com was asked to supply ASCI with their responses, before the CCC were to view the Hari Sadu commercial to determine whether or not the complaints were to be upheld or not.

Naukri in its response to the council responded explaining the following points:

-- Hari Sadu was a creation of fiction
-- Depicting a very real life situation of a boss and subordinate
-- The TVC is far removed from any form of religious implication or situation and revolves around a common day office situation with emphasise on an extremely rude and arrogant boss
-- No religious imagery was used in the TVC and the character is Hari Sadu and not Hari.
-- The only message the TVC denotes is that Naukri.com is an available option for job seekers and job hunters.

CCC adjudged Hari Sadu as a creation of fiction bearing no resemblance to any living figure or any religious god or deity either.