MAM
ASCI to meet I&B on misleading ads issue
NEW DELHI: With the Department of Consumer Affairs adamant on setting an agency to check misleading advertisements, the Advertising Standards Council of India has decided to take up the issue with the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to prevent unnecessary duplication.
A Delhi-based member of ASCI told indiantelevision.com that though ASCI members had met Food and Consumer Affairs Minister K V Thomas in this regard, they would raise the issue through the I&B Ministry which is the nodal Ministry for dealing with the media.
The I&B Ministry sources also said the Ministry was in favour of self-regulation on such matters and feels the work being done by ASCI is adequate.
The Department of Consumer Affairs, which has been asked by the Prime Minister’s office to study the possibility of framing some guidelines to check misleading advertisements in the print and electronic media, has said it is planning setting up an agency to examine consumer complaints against misleading advertisements.
Food and Consumer Affairs Minister K V Thomas told mediapersons here that “at present, we do not have any agency to investigate the consumer complaints regarding misleading advertisements and so we are considering setting up one under the Department of Consumer Affairs.”
In August, the Ministry had formed an inter-ministerial committee to consider various options to deal with the issue of misleading ads.
The Minister said the proposed agency will have experts from various fields to check the claims made by companies in their advertisements.
Thomas expressed concerns over rising consumer complaints against misleading ads particularly in regional languages. Admitting there were several legislations and regulations under different Ministries to deal with the issue, Thomas said: “We are discussing how there can be a co-ordination between them.”
At present, the Food Processing, Health and Information and Broadcasting Ministries are separately dealing with misleading advertisements under various acts.
Taking objection to advertisements that make promises for checking falling hair, obesity and skin conditions, the PMO had last month directed the Consumer Affairs Ministry to work on the existing Advertising Code and suggest changes.
There are laws to deal with consumer issues and courts that specifically address complaints, but a guide will make it clear to the buyer and seller about a legitimate advertisement and a doubtful appeal seeking to exploit human fears, insecurity and suffering.
Brands
Thermocool rolls out Navratri campaign on trains and stations
Nine day digital push blends devotion and storytelling for travellers
NEW DELHI: Thermocool Home Appliances has launched a high-visibility digital campaign during Navratri, turning railway stations and trains into storytelling spaces that blend culture with brand engagement.
The nine-day campaign spans key high-footfall locations including Katra, Anand Vihar, Gorakhpur, Prayagraj and Moradabad, along with the Vande Bharat Express on the Delhi-Katra route. Travellers encounter the campaign across station screens, concourses and onboard infotainment systems, making it hard to miss.
What sets the initiative apart is its narrative approach. Each day of Navratri is dedicated to one of the nine forms of Goddess Durga, with digital content explaining the significance and stories behind each day. The result is a campaign that does more than advertise, it informs and engages passengers in the middle of their journeys.
For director of sales and marketing Tanuj Gupta, the idea was to go beyond visibility. He noted that while Navratri is widely celebrated, awareness of its deeper meaning is often limited, and the campaign aims to bridge that gap in a simple and accessible way.
By tapping into high-traffic transit spaces, Thermocool is placing its message where audiences naturally gather, from busy platforms to train compartments. The repeated exposure across these touchpoints is designed to build familiarity while creating a more meaningful connection with consumers.
In a season marked by devotion and festivity, the campaign finds a clever middle ground. It turns everyday travel into a cultural moment, where storytelling travels alongside the passenger.
