MAM
ASCI upholds complaints against 57 out of 65 advertisements
MUMBAI: For the month of November 2013, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) upheld complaints against 57 out of 65 advertisers.
As usual, the health & personal care category continued to lead with the highest number of complaints received. A number of complaints were upheld for online advertisements as well.
The ASCI’s Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) concluded that the Facebook advertisement of Stayzilla.com of Inasra Technologies shows an indecent depiction of a woman and objectifies women, which is likely in the light of generally prevailing standards of decency and propriety, to cause grave or widespread offence. The ad contravened Chapter II of the ASCI Code and hence the complaint was upheld.
The advertisement of website of 99acres.com clearly states ‘no Muslim is allowed’. The CCC concluded that the website advertisement promotes discrimination based on religion and contravened Chapter III.1 (b) of the Code. The complaint was upheld.
The CCC found the claims in health and personal care product or service ads of 44 advertisers, released in the press to be either misleading or false or not adequately/scientifically substantiated and hence violating ASCI’s Code. Some of the health care products or services ads also contravened provisions of the Drug & Magic Remedies Act.
The Himalaya Drug Company’s Himalaya Sparkling White Toothpaste claims that it is ‘India’s first toothpaste with no chemical bleach’. Pack claims that they guarantee ‘whiter teeth in just 2 weeks.’ The complaint was upheld.
Similarly, complaints were upheld for Marico’s Nihar Shanti Amla Hair Oil claims to ‘keep hair black for a long time’, HUL’s new Close Up Deep Action Toothpaste claim was not substantiated ‘Confidence of Fresh breath till 12 hours, presenting new Close-up Deep Action’ and Ranbaxy Laboratories’ Revital claim of ‘21 day money back guarantee challenge’, amongst others.
The CCC concluded that the claims mentioned in advertisements in the food and beverage category were not substantiated. The complaints were upheld for Pizza Hut wherein the hoardings state that ‘Rs 99 on any meal any day.’ This is not factually true.
United Biscuits Mcvitie’s Digestive Biscuit claims that ‘Every biscuit has ‘Maida’ (Wheat Flour), whereas their biscuits have ‘Atta’ (whole wheat flour). The content of the biscuits says that it also contains 36 per cent ‘maida’ (wheat flour) and only 23 per cent ‘Atta’ (whole wheat flour). Hence their claim is totally misleading that their biscuit is made of ‘Atta’ (whole wheat flour).’
In the auto category, the CCC found following claims in TVC by two different advertisers violated Chapter III.3 of the ASCI guidelines on advertisements for automotive vehicles and hence the complaints against the ads were upheld: Maruti Suzuki India’s Maruti Alto 800 TVC shows ‘a couple celebrating Diwali and when asked about the extra diya, the wife says it is for her parents who stay far away. And they travel with the diya in the car and reach the house. The wife says surprisingly the oil in the diya is intact and the husband agrees whilst looking at the dashboard’. The advertisement sends a dangerous message of carrying an oil lamp in the car. It flouts the safety rules and spreads a dangerous message. Also, a TVS Star City commercial shows a woman pillion riding without a helmet.
Brands
KPMG names Gary Wingrove as global chairman and CEO from October
Record Gmada bids signal rising demand as Rs 1,000 crore bet reshapes Tricity skyline
MUMBAI: KPMG has chosen continuity with a forward tilt. The firm has announced that Gary Wingrove will take over as global chairman and CEO of KPMG International, beginning a four year term from 1 October 2026. Currently serving as global chief operating officer, Wingrove steps into the top role after being nominated by the global board and elected by the global council.
A KPMG veteran with over 25 years at the firm, Wingrove has been closely involved in shaping its recent trajectory. As global COO, he has helped drive the firm’s Collective Strategy, focusing on operational integration, global investments and the steady expansion of the KPMG Delivery Network. He has also been at the forefront of KPMG’s digital push, including the rollout of AI enabled solutions across its global operations.
Before his global role, Wingrove served as CEO of KPMG Australia for nearly a decade, where he led a period of strong growth, almost doubling revenue, profitability and headcount while steering a cultural reset.
He succeeds Bill Thomas, who has led KPMG since 2017 and will work alongside Wingrove over the next six months to ensure a smooth transition.
Thomas leaves behind a firm that looks markedly different from when he took charge. Under his leadership, KPMG’s global revenues have risen by 55 per cent, and its workforce has expanded to more than 276,000 people. He also unified the network of member firms under the Collective Strategy, aligning priorities and strengthening governance.
His tenure saw heavy investment in technology and partnerships, with alliances spanning Microsoft, Google Cloud, SAP, Oracle and ServiceNow. These collaborations, along with platforms like KPMG Clara, have helped the firm scale its AI-led offerings and sharpen its competitive edge.
Beyond growth, Thomas also pushed improvements in audit quality and sustainability. Initiatives such as a multiyear global sustainability strategy and the Our Impact Plan have aimed to embed long term thinking into the firm’s operations and client services.
For Wingrove, the brief is clear but evolving. He has signalled a focus on agility, deep expertise and technology driven solutions as clients navigate an increasingly complex business landscape. He also emphasised KPMG’s identity as a people first organisation, supported by technology and unified through its global network.
The timing of the leadership change comes as KPMG continues to grow, reporting a 5.1 per cent rise in global revenue in FY25, with gains across tax and legal, audit and advisory services. Growth was recorded across all regions, despite a challenging macro environment.
As Wingrove prepares to take charge, the firm appears set on a familiar path with a sharper digital edge. Same playbook, perhaps, but with a renewed focus on speed, scale and smarter solutions.
