MAM
ASCI dismisses HUL plaint against two Emami products
MUMBAI: The Independent Review Committee (IRC) of The Advertising Standard Council of India (ASCI), chaired by Justice Mohit Shah (retired), has summarily dismissed two complaints filed by HUL against Emami Limited’s Fair and Handsome Instant Fairness Facewashes over the last six months.
The complaints filed by HUL with ASCI against the two face wash brands of Fair and Handsome, was reviewed by Justice Shah at a meeting attended by teams from Emami and HUL. He went at length to look at the merit of every point raised, before arriving at his recommendations.
One model of the brand was contested on the language used, “Instant Fairness Face Wash”, apart from raising seven more objections on the brand. Rigourous clinical study reports, consumer evidence and research studies were presented to prove how the face wash delivers, which was accepted by the chairperson.
In the second case, HUL had raised objection to the language, “100% Oil Clear Instant Fairness Face Wash”, contesting that this was misleading, while the clarification was “clearing excess oil up to 100%” which was clearly mentioned on the pack. Post all the submissions, Justice Shah commented that, “I find substance in the submission made by the advertiser that the claim, “100% Oil Clear” is to be understood as “100% excessive oil clear”. The findings in the clinical study as well as the consumer study support this claim.”
HUL had raised 11 more objections on the 100% Oil Clear Instant Fairness Face Wash, all of which were conclusively proven through clinical studies, consumer studies and reports by leading market research agencies, leading to dismissal of all 18 objections on both products.
In another recent instance, ASCI had dismissed the disparagement case filed by HUL against Fair and Handsome Fairness Cream.
HUL had filed a complaint with ASCI on the brand’s recent TVC, where the complainant had claimed that the advertisement disparaged HUL’s product – Fair & Lovely Fairness Cream. The Fast Track Complaints Panel (FTCP), after viewing the TVC, product packaging and noting Emami’s response, were of the view, “There are many aspects of dissimilarities between the product shown in the TVC and the complainant’s product.” Hence, the complaint was not upheld.
Brands
Beep App launches Gen-Z career platform, clocks 30,000 plus placements
Pune startup turns scrolling into career action with learn-explore-earn model
PUNE: Beep App has rolled out its newly positioned career-focused app aimed at Gen-Z users, as it looks to bridge what it calls a growing gap between exposure and employability among young Indians.
Formerly known as EventBeep, the platform is built around a simple but timely idea: turning everyday scrolling into meaningful career action. The app targets students and early professionals, offering a unified space to explore career options, learn relevant skills and access internships and job opportunities.
At a time when short-form content dominates screen time, Beep is attempting to flip the script by embedding structured, career-oriented insights within a familiar scroll-based interface. The idea is not to disrupt user behaviour, but to redirect it.
The platform spans a wide range of fields, including artificial intelligence, product management, design and data analytics. It provides users with insights into role expectations, required skills and step-by-step career pathways, supported by inputs from industry practitioners.
At the heart of the offering is a “learn, explore, earn” model that integrates discovery, skill-building and hiring into one ecosystem. The company says this closed-loop approach is already gaining traction, with over 30,000 placements facilitated so far.
“Gen-Z does not lack ambition; what they often lack is structured direction,” said Beep App founder and CEO Saurabh Mangrulkar. “The Beep App is designed to organise that exposure into actionable pathways so users can move from intent to execution with greater confidence.”
The launch comes amid a broader shift in India’s job market towards skills-first hiring, where practical experience and demonstrable capabilities are increasingly valued alongside academic qualifications.
Founded in 2021, Beep App has grown steadily within the student ecosystem, connecting over 6.5 million users with opportunities across more than 1,500 colleges and 7,800 hiring companies.
Looking ahead, the company plans to deepen its content across emerging sectors, expand its hiring network and build more personalised career pathways tailored to user behaviour.
As Gen-Z continues to navigate a complex and fast-evolving job market, platforms that can turn curiosity into clarity may well shape the next wave of career discovery.
