MAM
Gulf Oil, MS Dhoni release animated campaign on living positively in the ‘new normal’
MUMBAI: Gulf Oil Lubricants India Ltd has launched an animated video campaign featuring its brand ambassador MS Dhoni with the message #NewWayForward, emphasising the significance of having a positive outlook when we are all set to return to our daily routine post-lockdown.
The campaign invokes optimism even as the world continues to combat Covid2019. People away from family and friends, are waiting for life to go back towards normalisation. However, the definition of normal has changed – a world with social distancing as the new norm, prioritising our health over everything, spending time with loved ones, being considerate towards others and being mindful of collective responsibility towards the environment, are what defines the new normal.
The video focuses on the positive changes the pandemic will bring in our lives after the lockdown. It is a sensitive iteration of elemental and relevant actions that each one of us needs to remember going forward. Through this video, Gulf Oil and ‘Captain Cool’ MS Dhoni aim to restore hope in people readying to journey towards a better tomorrow.
Gulf Oil Lubricants India MD Ravi Chawla said, “In these trying times, humankind has been facing some major setbacks. With the ‘new normal’, our lives won’t be the same. We must be conscious of our actions and collectively work towards crafting a better future. As a responsible brand, we urge our valued customers to stay strong and embrace these changes positively, so that we may emerge stronger than before.”
Gulf Oil brand ambassador MS Dhoni said, “The world is going through an unprecedented event with Covid2019. While we tackle this situation, we have had some transforming share of learnings from it. As we move ahead, we should be thoughtful about and kind to one another. The all-new norms – social distancing, and sound physical, emotional, and spiritual health, will act as the cornerstone on which we will collectively lay the bedrock for a brighter tomorrow. Maybe this is the 2020 vision, not the one we hoped for but the one we actually need.”
OPN Advertising creative head Chockalingam S said, “The idea for the film came from a meeting while we were discussing the way forward with the Gulf team and Ravi Chawla said “This crisis is an opportunity for us to strive better, and that essentially sets the tone for the film”. The film represents Gulf Oil’s spirit of being mindful, optimistic, and progressive, and stars the brand ambassador for more than ten years now – MS Dhoni. He has the ideal personality to spread positivity in these tough times.”
Video link: https://youtu.be/2H79lUwXLUE
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MAM
Brands push beyond compliance as trust takes centre stage
ASCI AdTrust Summit 2026 spotlights shift from legal checks to credibility.
MUMBAI: In a world where a disclaimer can be legally sound yet socially suspect, brands are learning that compliance may tick boxes but trust wins markets. At the inaugural ASCI AdTrust Summit 2026, a panel on “Beyond Compliance: The New Currency of Trust” unpacked a growing industry reality: the gap between what the law permits and what consumers accept is widening and fast.
Moderated by Meenakshi Ramkumar of National Law School of India University, the discussion brought together leaders across law, marketing and academia to examine how brands must evolve in a digital ecosystem increasingly shaped by scrutiny, scepticism and speed.
Ramkumar set the tone by highlighting a critical shift, advertising today operates in the same digital space that fuels misinformation, scams and fake news, making credibility harder to establish. “The challenge is not just about what brands do, but the broader context of low institutional trust,” she noted, adding that when violations go unchecked, trust erodes not just in brands but in the regulatory system itself.
This vacuum, she said, has given rise to consumer activism from boycotts to social media backlash as a parallel accountability mechanism.
For Amit Bhasin, Chief Legal Officer at Marico, the distinction was clear, legal compliance is non negotiable, but insufficient. “Compliance is the minimum threshold. The real challenge is staying aligned with changing consumer expectations,” he said.
He pointed to how advertising narratives have evolved from traditional depictions of gender roles to more shared responsibilities reflecting a broader societal shift. “Earlier, it was fine to show one person doing the household work. Today, that may not land well. Consumers expect brands to reflect reality,” Bhasin observed.
He also highlighted internal debates where campaigns that may be legally permissible are still rejected for being culturally insensitive, noting that responsible advertising often requires asking uncomfortable questions before the public does.
If compliance is the baseline, reputation is the battlefield.
Bhasin noted that reputational risk has become a far greater concern than legal exposure, particularly in an era where campaigns can be dissected within hours online. “Earlier, a controversial ad might invite a newspaper editorial. Today, within hours, you’re at the centre of a storm,” he said.
Brands, he added, now evaluate campaigns through a dual lens legal viability and reputational vulnerability with the latter often proving more decisive.
From a healthcare perspective, Satish Sahoo of Cipla Health underscored the complexity of operating within fragmented yet stringent regulatory frameworks, spanning drugs, food, cosmetics and Ayush. “Anything under a drug licence is the most tightly regulated,” he said, adding that this necessitates proactive, not reactive, compliance.
He shared an example from the oral rehydration salts (ORS) category, where Cipla resisted the temptation to position products aggressively despite competitive pressure. “Our product is WHO compliant, and our communication reflects that. We chose not to blur the lines, even if others did,” he noted.
The long term payoff, he suggested, lies in credibility built over consistency, not quick wins.
Yet, as Harsha N of National Law School of India University pointed out, even perfect compliance does not guarantee trust. Drawing from historical and modern examples from exaggerated product claims in the 1800s to contemporary environmental and health advertising, he argued that legal frameworks often lag behind consumer expectations. “A brand can be fully compliant and still be perceived as misleading,” he said, citing instances where fine print disclosures fail to reach or convince the average consumer. He added that larger companies carry a disproportionate responsibility to set ethical benchmarks, even in areas where the law remains silent.
The conversation also turned to digital advertising, where the challenge extends beyond content to how ads are experienced. From algorithmic targeting to personalised messaging, brands now operate in an environment where regulation struggles to keep pace with technology.
Sahoo noted that social media has amplified awareness, with influencers and consumers increasingly scrutinising product claims and calling out inconsistencies. “Awareness has gone up dramatically. People are questioning what goes into products and what brands are saying,” he said.
The role of self regulatory bodies such as Advertising Standards Council of India also came under the spotlight.
Harsha acknowledged that while SROs play a crucial role, they are not immune to criticism, particularly around perceived conflicts of interest and enforcement gaps. “SROs have a higher threshold of responsibility not just to interpret the law, but to anticipate societal expectations,” he said.
He added that failures in self regulation often push the burden back onto government intervention, underscoring the need for stronger, more proactive oversight.
One of the more nuanced debates centred on whether building trust comes at a cost. While Sahoo acknowledged that quality and compliance can increase costs, he argued that companies must absorb them as part of their long term strategy.
Bhasin, however, framed the challenge differently not as cost, but as competitiveness in a market where not all players play by the same rules. “The real tension is when others cut corners and you choose not to,” he said.
The panel concluded with a call to embed trust into business metrics.
Sahoo suggested that organisations must go beyond revenue targets to include consumer equity and trust based KPIs, ensuring that ethical considerations are not sidelined in the pursuit of growth. “Trust sounds abstract, but it can translate into measurable consumer equity,” he said.
As the discussion wrapped up, one message stood out: the rules of advertising are being rewritten not just by regulators, but by consumers themselves. In an ecosystem where attention is fleeting and scepticism is high, brands that merely comply may survive, but those that build trust are the ones that endure.
