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
Info Edge reshuffles senior roles, Ambrish Singh to 99acres, Bhisham Dhingra to lead Shiksha strategy
Leadership changes at Shiksha and 99acres aim to drive sharper growth focus
MUMBAI: Info Edge (India) Limited has approved an internal reorganisation of its education and real estate verticals, setting the stage for leadership changes aimed at sharpening execution and accelerating growth. The move, cleared by the board on April 14 through a circular resolution, will come into effect from May 1, 2026.
The restructuring impacts the company’s Shiksha and 99acres businesses, two key pillars in its portfolio, and involves role changes for senior management personnel. As part of the reshuffle, Ambrish Kumar Singh, previously executive vice president and head of sales and customer delivery for Shiksha, has been redesignated as executive vice president and head of sales and sales enablement at 99acres. A long-time company leader since 2003, Singh is expected to focus on boosting business performance, strengthening client relationships and building high-performing teams in his new role.
Meanwhile, Bhisham Dhingra, who led sales and customer delivery at 99acres, will now take on an expanded mandate as head of sales, strategy and client delivery for Shiksha. With over two decades of experience across global and Indian organisations, Dhingra will spearhead growth strategy, corporate sales and client engagement for the domestic education vertical.
Both executives will continue as senior management personnel, albeit with revised responsibilities aligned to the company’s broader restructuring goals.
Info Edge said the changes are part of ongoing efforts to leverage leadership expertise across business lines and improve operational effectiveness. The company added that the reshuffle is designed to drive stronger outcomes by aligning talent with evolving business priorities.
As Info Edge continues to fine-tune its structure, the latest leadership moves suggest a clear intent to keep its core platforms nimble, competitive and ready for the next phase of growth.
