MAM
ASCI accepts ‘paid partnership’ tag on Instagram
Mumbai: The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has declared that the paid partnership tag that influencers carry in their advertorial posts on Instagram meets the principles of the ASCI guidelines for influencer advertising on digital media. The self-regulatory body therefore will consider the Instagram ‘Paid Partnership’ tag as an acceptable alternative to its disclosure labels.
The ad industry watchdog had released the guidelines for influencer advertising in India last year in June after extensive feedback from all stakeholders – advertisers, agencies, influencers, and consumers. The guidelines, which are applicable to commercial messages or advertisements published on or after 14 June 2021 were then framed, making it mandatory for influencers to label the promotional content they post and ensure that it is identified as paid promotion.
This decision will reduce the burden on brands and influencers and will encourage greater compliance from all parties, said ASCI.
Post releasing the guidelines, ASCI screened around 5,000 posts until December 2021. Over the period of six months, it processed 729 complaints which were considered to be prima facie violations of the guidelines. From the total complaints, ASCI achieved total compliance of 86 per cent, where influencers modified the posts that were complained against.
The guidelines and all information related to the influencer guidelines can be accessed at ASCI’s social platforms.
Brands
Mahindra reopens bookings for BE 6 Batman Edition
Limited rerun for sold-out 999-unit Dark Knight-inspired SUV starts 10 March 2026.
MUMBAI: Mahindra just summoned the Bat-signal for a second swing because when 999 Dark Knight SUVs vanish in 135 seconds, even Gotham knows demand never sleeps. Mahindra Electric has reopened bookings for the BE 6 Batman Edition, the world’s first commercially available Batman-themed SUV, following overwhelming fan demand after the original 999 units sold out in just 135 seconds. Created in association with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products and inspired by Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy, the collector’s edition is based on the top-spec Pack Three 79 kWh variant.
Bookings for the limited rerun open on 6 March 2026 via mahindraelectricsuv.com for preference registration, with actual bookings commencing on 10 March 2026 at 11:00 am for one day only. Deliveries begin on 10 April 2026. To reward loyalty, priority delivery will be given to bookings referred by existing BE 6 Batman Edition owners.
The edition features an aggressive satin black finish with custom Batman decals on front doors, R20 alloy wheels, Alchemy Gold-painted suspension and brake callipers, and the iconic Bat emblem prominently placed on hub caps, quarter panels, rear bumper, windows, rear windshield and infinity roof. Interior highlights include a brushed Alchemy Gold Batman Edition plaque, charcoal leather with gold sepia stitching, embossed Bat emblems on seats and buttons, pinstripe graphics, custom key fob, welcome animation, and Batman-inspired exterior engine sounds.
The original allocation of 999 units remains the founding chapter; this follow-up creates a second, limited opportunity for fans who missed the initial window.
In a world where superheroes rarely get sequels this fast, Mahindra is proving that when Batman meets battery power, the waitlist becomes legendary and the second chance arrives quicker than a Batarang.
