MAM
ASCI upholds complaints on 5 ads
MUMBAI: Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has pulled the plug on five advertisements from Prabhat Khabar, DNA, Naidunia, FMCG brand Sprite and Liquor brand McDowell’s No.1, finding them misleading.
ASCI‘s Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) pulled up newspaper Prabhat Khabar, which claimed No 1 position in Jharkhand by citing data from Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) July-December 2009.
The CCC’s findings show that the ABC July-Dec’09 results do not reflect Prabhat Khabar as the numero uno newspaper in Jharkhand as the claim is not substantiated by ABC report taking into account the circulation of Jamshedpur. After ASCI upheld the complaint, he advertiser has discontinued the advertisement.
Similarly, CCC found that the DNA newspaper’s advertisement claims of being “The No1 Daily for the independent people”, “The No.1 daily for the new Indian”, “The No.1 daily for the people’s voice”, “The No.1 daily for tomorrow’s leader” are not substantiated with any data or research from any independent organisation. The advertiser did not did not state any source or explicit study conducted before making these claims. The said advertisement was suspended by the advertiser.
In case of Nai Dunia newspaper, the advertiser’s assurance of compliance was still awaited by ASCI. The advertisement of Nai Dunia stated, “This remarkable growth rate of Nai Dunia can perhaps be an indication of the future, as much as that of current value”.
The advertisement is considered misleading by CCC as per Chapter I.4 since although the growth rate of NaiDunia and Dainik Bhaskar may have been correctly depicted, the absence of a base index renders the advertisement misleading.
In the Sprite TVC, which shows ‘two explorers captured by a tribe who are, apparently, cannibals and appear, quite distinctly, African’, CCC concluded that the ad projects negative stereotype of Africans and hence violates Chapter III, 1 (b) of ASCI which doesn’t permit derision of race, caste, colour, credd or nationality. This led to the TVC being withdrawn by the advertiser.
In case of McDowell’s No1 Platinum CD ad having slogan, “Get inspired by the rare and legendary”, the CCC concluded that the ad was a surrogate ad for a liquor product – McDowell’s No. 1 and hence contravened Chapter III.6 of the Code. As the ad appears in the middle of a live cricket match, it is not distinguishable from the programme and hence, it also violates The Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994. Subsequently, the TVC was withdrawn.
CCC also received complaint against Manforce Chocolate Flavoured Condoms. However, ASCI concurred that the TVC was not likely to cause grave or widespread offence, but found that it was not suitable for family viewing and, hence, the advertiser has been advised to air the TVC after family viewing hours – between 11 pm to 6 am.
MAM
Microdrama Specialist COL Group International Builds Out With Narativ, Rock Networks & BlingWood Deals
MUMBAI: Microdrama powerhouse COL Group International is building out its distribution network, with its CEO saying vertical video is about to enter its “next competitive chapter.”
The microdrama arm of publicly-listed Chinese company COL Group appointed Narativ Media as its official distributor in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and CIS regions and Africa, and a struck new content deal with a new Dubai-based microdrama platform.
The deals were unveiled this morning at MIP London, and also included Rock Networks as its exclusive Southeast Asia telco distribution partner for its app, FlareFlow. MIP London is now into its second day at the Savoy Hotel and adjoining IET London complex.
The deals come soon after COL appointed Harbour Rights to represent its titles in Europe and Latin America, as we reported yesterday in our extended feature on microdrama distribution.
COL’s Singapore-based microdrama unit says its “coordinated global distribution architecture and significantly expanded international content slate” would help to scale its catalogue to more than 1,700 microdrama titles worldwide. These hail from South Korea, Japan, Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and the UK and roll out across Sereal+, FlareFlow and 17K.
A deal with Dubai-based BlingWood, which recently launched as an OTT platform, will expand COL’s access to Middle Eastern and Indian microdramas, and includes a broader pipeline of Indian series from storytelling platform Pratilipi, Korean titles from BeLive Studios and British reality-led formats from Tattle TV — the UK’s first dedicated microdrama app, including titles such as Dog Dates.
“Microdrama is entering its next competitive chapter, where quality, retention and monetization standards are increasingly shaped by data and operational discipline,” said Timothy Oh, General Manager of COL Group International.
“As pioneers in both China and the U.S., scaling some of the world’s leading platforms in this space, we understand what it truly takes to win sustainably. Our role is not simply to offer catalogue volume, but to help partners select, position and scale the right content for their platform and audience. By bringing together a broad, constantly refreshed slate from across regions, we enable smarter curation, clearer differentiation and long-term growth for serious industry players.”
Narativ deal
COL and UAE-based Narativ described their deal as a “strategic expansion of premium vertical content distribution across high-growth emerging markets,” and comes as the microdrama continues to boom financially. The growth of the medium will be among the key topics of conversation today at MIP London, where COL chief Oh will be speaking.
The pact extends beyond content representation and is being billed as part of a more “structured micro-drama distribution infrastructure.”
Narativ will spearhead market development, platform alliances, broadcaster relationships and digital monetization frameworks across the MENA and CIS regions and Africa, where they have identified “rapid mobile-first consumption growth and strong demand for short-form, high-engagement storytelling formats.”
“Micro-dramas are reshaping global viewing habits, particularly across mobile-first markets like MENA, Africa and CIS,” said Manjyot Sandhu, CEO and co-founder of Narativ. “Our appointment as official distributor for COL Group in these territories reflects Narativ’s strategy to build sustainable distribution architecture.
“A key pillar of the collaboration includes integration with FlareFlow, enabling strategic telco partnerships, bundled carrier offerings, and alternative monetization pathways designed to accelerate scale across mobile ecosystems and OTT platforms.”
Oh added: “We are building more than a content slate – we are building the global infrastructure for microdrama. With hundreds of new titles launching every quarter, scale and regional strength are critical. Narativ with its deep foothold in MENA, Africa CIS and other key markets makes them a natural strategic partner as we expand FlareFlow and bring microdrama to new platforms, telcos and audiences.
Narativ, which is joint venture Sandhu operates with Copyright Capital, manages around 7,000 hours of content and has a digital network spanning 150 million subscribers across 21 language.
COL Group has emerged as one of the biggest microdrama platforms, running platforms such as FlareFow. It is also a part-owner of ReelShort.
