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Advertising in newspapers most trusted by consumers: ASCI-ISA report
MUMBAI: Advertising seen on traditional media continues to enjoy high trust amongst consumers, with newspapers (86 per cent) emerging as the most trusted, a report by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) and the Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA) stated.
The Trust in Advertising study, carried out by Nielsen, puts forth that while a section might say that people are no longer willing to trust advertising, a larger chunk of society still believes in brand advertising and their messages. They still make their purchases and preferences on the basis of this.
The study was conducted with people across age groups in 20 centres in India, including metros, smaller towns and rural areas. The study found that eight out of 10 people trusted advertising messages across media.
TV (94 per cent) was the most common medium for consumption of advertising, followed by digital (82 per cent), print (77 per cent) and radio (29 per cent). Viewership of TV ads is driven by non-metro markets. Interestingly, viewership of ads on digital is the same in rural (82 per cent) as it is in metros (83 per cent).
According to Nielsen global head – strategic alliances and new verticals Prasun Basu, this demonstrates the growing importance and centrality of this medium in the hinterland. ASCI spotted early that the growing consumption of digital content and advertising pointed to a permanent change in consumer behaviour and marketing. Accordingly, it set up robust monitoring mechanisms for digital platforms alongside its monitoring of print and TV advertising. It now scans more than 3,000 digital platforms for misleading messages.
While newspapers are the most trusted medium of ads with 86 per cent consumers reposing faith in them, TV (83 per cent) and radio (83 per cent) are not far behind. Text/SMS ads were the least trusted at 52 per cent.
About 70 per cent of the respondents said they trust advertisements which are endorsed by celebrities.
In terms of shifts, consumers put greater trust in advertisements consumed on TV, print, radio, social media, outdoor and search engines as compared to what they did in a similar survey conducted by Nielsen in 2015. However, there is a fall in the percentage of consumers trusting text messages over this period (58 per cent vs. 52 per cent).
Among sectors, audiences displayed a very high level of trust for advertisements of educational institutions at 82 per cent. This is possibly because culturally, Indians have a strong belief in education as a means to secure their future. Ironically, ASCI finds that a significant portion of misleading ads come from the education sector. It therefore has a high focus on education sector advertising.
“ASCI’s job of monitoring the education sector is even more crucial, given these findings. In India, the poorest of people prioritise education spends over other necessities. Most educational institutions promise job guarantees or make false claims of being the number one or guaranteeing 100 per cent placement without any objective data or evidence. We are doing our best to make sure that such false advertising is removed from the market,” said ASCI secretary general Manisha Kapoor.
Home care products such as detergents, mosquito repellents etc as a sector also enjoys relatively higher trust levels. However, real estate advertisements were amongst the least trusted by consumers.
When it comes to taking action when they see a misleading or offensive advertisement, about a third of consumers are likely to discuss this with their family/friends, another third take some action by posting it on social media, or reporting the same. However, almost 30 per cent of consumers do not take any action. This, too, is a major focus area of ASCI. It has used every tool available to make it easy for consumers to point out misleading claims in advertisements. Consumers can lodge complaints on its website (www.ascionline.org), or via email (contact@ascionline.org). Consumers can also send their complaints via WhatsApp (7710012345).
According to ISA chairman Sunil Kataria said, “Brands are built on the back of long term communication with consumers and audiences. It is in the advertisers’ own self-interest to make sure that all communication is honest and truthful, so consumers can trust advertising messages, and thereby, brands. This study helps advertisers, agencies, media owners and planners understand what works well and introspect on what needs improvement.”
Below is the report.
A DETAILED STUDY ON ‘TRUST IN ADVERTISING’ (ascionline.org)
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Adbhoot weaves AI magic into CottonKing Aura linen campaign
Subtle AI craft brings premium linen’s texture, fall and finesse to life in cinematic film that feels tangibly real.
MUMBAI: Adbhoot has threaded the needle perfectly using AI so invisibly that the real star of Cottonking’s new premium linen range, Aura, gets to shine. The campaign, built around the insight that premium clothing isn’t merely worn but experienced, puts the fabric itself centre stage. Instead of flashy drama or exaggerated styling, every frame focuses on what truly defines Aura: its visible weave, natural drape, soft finish and effortless movement. The result feels so tactile you almost want to reach out and touch the screen.
What sets the work apart is its quiet confidence in technology. There is no “look at our AI” fanfare. Adbhoot treated the tool as a precision filmmaking instrument ensuring consistent model features, accurate proportions, natural lighting behaviour and real-world physics so the film feels polished, controlled and unmistakably premium rather than artificial.
Adbhoot, founder & creative director Vaibhav Pandit explained, “AI is powerful only when it doesn’t announce itself. For Aura, our intent was clear. The fabric needed to feel tangible, the lighting needed to behave naturally, and the model had to remain authentic throughout. We shaped AI around the brief, not the other way around.”
Cottonking director Koushik Marathe added, “With Aura, our vision was clear: to create a premium linen range that feels elevated not just in look, but in experience. Linen is a fabric of character, it breathes, it moves, and it carries a distinct elegance that can’t be replicated. This campaign captures that essence beautifully.”
The campaign marks another step in Adbhoot’s thoughtful approach to modern storytelling, innovation supports the narrative rather than stealing the spotlight. In an era when AI is often used to grab attention, this one stands out by staying quietly honest letting the linen do the talking and the craft do the work.
From weave to wind-blown drape, Aura doesn’t just look premium, it feels it. And thanks to Adbhoot’s restrained touch, viewers are left with the impression of real fabric, real movement, and real emotion rather than pixels and prompts. In the world of fashion advertising, that’s the kind of seamless finish that really leaves a mark.
