MAM
ASCI unveils paid service to help endorsers evade misleading claims in ads
Mumbai: Brand endorsers can now avail of paid advisory service from the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) to avoid making misleading claims in advertisements, the self-regulatory body of the advertising industry announced. ASCI has launched the ‘Endorser Due Diligence’ service in order to help endorsers follow the ASCI code and abide by the rules laid down in the Consumer Protection Act (2019), which places an obligation on them to undertake due diligence for advertisements they appear in.
“Endorsers, particularly celebrities, have a huge fan following and they enjoy the trust of millions of consumers,” said ASCI chairman Subhash Kamath. “There is, therefore, a direct moral and now, legal responsibility that they bear to ensure that they do not make representations in ads that could be considered misleading. ASCI has always required celebrities to be mindful of what they endorse in advertisements, and now the law too requires them to do due diligence in this regard.”
The service will offer ASCI’s expertise in advertising assessment, including technical claims that are part of the advertisement, for an added fee. ASCI has established a panel of experts, from over 20 disciplines, ranging from advertising regulation and legal, ayurveda, microbiology, electronics, market research, nutrition, dentistry, product formulations, financial services, and so on. The panel will assess the representations, statements, and claims in the advertisement from a consumer and technical perspective, examine the evidence in support of the claim where necessary, and thereby help the endorser conduct their due diligence.
The advertisements can be sent to ASCI at any stage, including pre-production. This ensures that the endorser can do their independent due diligence before the advertisement is produced, said the statement.
The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 provides for the imposition of fines or even prohibiting the endorser of a false or misleading advertisement from making an endorsement of any product or service for a period, which may extend to one year. However, the act also provides for a waiver of such penalties or suspension if the endorsers have exercised due diligence to verify the claims made in any advertisement endorsed by them.
“Endorsers may not always be experts when it comes to the products they push and the claims they make,” said ASCI secretary-general Manisha Kapoor. “The law makes endorsers liable for the advertisements they appear in, hence Endorser Due Diligence becomes a critical need. ASCI’s service that is speedy, confidential, and based on the assessment of a multi-disciplinary panel can help endorsers do their due diligence in a timely and comprehensive manner, ensuring that consumers are not misled and that the endorser too, fulfills their legal obligations.”
Around 50 per cent of endorsements in India feature celebrities compared to around 20 per cent in the US, according to Duff & Phelps’ ‘Celebrity Brand Valuation Report.’ The same report puts the overall brand value of the top 20 endorsers of 2020 in India at an estimated $1 billion. The TAM AdEx report on celebrity endorsement says that overall, more than 25 per cent of advertisements telecast on TV in 2021 were endorsed by celebrities, of these more than 85 per cent were endorsed by film stars.
Similar to the Advertising Advice service offered by ASCI, Endorser Due Diligence will be confidential and non-binding and will be issued in the name of the endorser, the organisation said.
Brands
Limelight Lab Grown Diamonds to open 25 stores in Q1 FY26 expansion
Push into Tier 2 cities and metros to take total footprint past 85 stores
MUMBAI: Limelight Lab Grown Diamonds has kicked off the new financial year with an ambitious retail push, announcing plans to launch 25 new stores in the first quarter of FY26 across metros and high-growth Tier 2 markets.
With this expansion, the brand’s total retail footprint is set to cross 85 stores nationwide, reinforcing its early-mover advantage in India’s fast-growing lab grown diamond segment. The move reflects a broader shift in consumer preferences, where aspirational buying is increasingly aligned with sustainability and value.
The company said the expansion is aimed at deepening its presence beyond major cities and tapping into emerging demand centres, as lab grown diamonds gain wider acceptance among Indian consumers.
Commenting on the development, Limelight Lab Grown Diamonds founder and managing director Pooja Madhavan said, “Launching 25 stores at the very start of the financial year is a strong signal of how the category is evolving. As pioneers, we are not just expanding retail, we are shaping consumer mindsets towards smarter, more sustainable luxury.” She added that the brand’s long-term goal is to scale to 200 stores while making the category accessible to modern Indian buyers.
From an execution standpoint, the company is focusing on building depth in high-potential markets rather than just expanding its footprint. Limelight Lab Grown Diamonds director retail expansion Karamjyot Singh Chawla said, “Every new store is a step towards creating a truly national footprint with consistent, premium experiences,” highlighting the role of supply chain and operational discipline in supporting growth.
On the product side, the brand is strengthening its merchandising capabilities to keep pace with rising demand. Limelight Lab Grown Diamonds co-founder and director of inventory and merchandise Nirav Bhatt said the focus is on building an agile supply system that keeps designs relevant and responsive to consumer trends.
Meanwhile, scaling operations sustainably remains a priority. Limelight Lab Grown Diamonds co-founder and director production and finance Kalpan Dalal said the company is investing in efficient production and financial discipline to support long-term expansion.
The retail rollout is backed by an omni-channel strategy, franchise partnerships and continued investment in design innovation and consumer education. Each store is designed to deliver a consistent, premium experience aligned with the brand’s positioning around transparency and modern luxury.
With a roadmap to reach 200 stores by 2027, Limelight is betting big on both scale and sentiment, aiming to carve out a larger share of India’s evolving fine jewellery market.
