Mumbai: The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) proudly unveils the ASCI Academy, a pioneering initiative poised to amplify the advertising industry’s capacity to create more responsible and progressive advertising campaigns. Building upon ASCI’s established corrective role which comes alive post ad publication, this  pioneering platform embeds self-regulation right at the point of the inception of  advertisements.

In today’s digital landscape, characterised by brief campaign durations and a surge in number of advertisers, the ASCI Academy is positioned to empower current and future industry professionals including influencers and students with a foundational understanding of advertising regulations, ensuring ethical practices from the outset.

The ASCI Academy’s core mission is to cultivate a cohort of advertising professionals dedicated to upholding responsibility in advertising, ultimately upholding consumer trust in brands.

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The academy strategically consolidates ASCI’s extensive thought leadership and educational programs under one comprehensive umbrella. The academy’s spectrum of programs caters to diverse needs, spanning online, in-person, and hybrid formats. From e-learning modules to topical webinars, from deep-diving masterclasses on regulatory nuances to enhancing teaching skills through faculty development programs, the academy covers it all. Additionally, influencer certification programs ensure responsible endorsement practices, while consumer education initiatives foster informed choices.  Through sustained training and research efforts, the ASCI Academy remains steadfast in its commitment to engage stakeholders in the preventive aspects of self-regulation. The ASCI Academy brings together stakeholders united by a shared belief in responsible advertising

practices. The Academy has over 50 founding partners and supporters including Cipla Health Ltd, Coca-Cola India Pvt Ltd, Colgate-Palmolive (India) Ltd, Diageo India, Hindustan Unilever Ltd, Mondelez India Foods Pvt Ltd, Nestlé India Ltd, PepsiCo India Holdings Pvt Ltd., Procter & Gamble Home Products Pvt Ltd, several leading universities and colleges, prominent Civil society organisations such as Mumbai Grahak Panchayat, Consumer Voice, CUTS, CMS and others, and, industry bodies  like the ISA, AAAI, IAA and ISWAI, as well as research insight organisations.

Department of consumer affairs secretary Rohit Kumar Singh said, “I congratulate  ASCI on the launch of the ASCI Academy. In the digital age, preventive actions need strong impetus and encouragement, and the training of industry professionals – current and future is an important systemic intervention. The Department of Consumer Affairs is supportive of such efforts by the advertising self-regulator to foster a culture of responsibility in the advertising industry. We hope that the advertising industry engages  deeply with the Academy programs to make their teams better trained and educated on  the aspects of advertising regulations.”

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Ministry of information and broadcasting, joint secretary, Vikram Sahay, who is part of the ASCI Academy’s Apex Council said, “Many congratulations to ASCI on the launch of the ASCI Academy. The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has always supported self-regulatory mechanisms in the media and entertainment industry. We hope that the  resources and support by the Academy would be extremely useful for the online  advertisers and platforms.”

Addressing the opening of the academy, ASCI chairman NS Rajan said: “While ASCI has always had a strong corrective mechanism, we also wanted to harmonise the dynamic interplay between creativity and responsibility and address the broader consequences of advertising on society at large. The ASCI Academy is a big step in this direction which will  facilitate a preventive footprint and shape an advertising ecosystem to help the industry  to get it right.”  

ASCI CEO and secretary general Manisha Kapoor added, “With short campaign durations, it is important that attention is directed at the point of creation of ads, not just after they are published. When the only ads to hit the market are responsible and compliant, it is a win-win for both consumers and industry. Over the next three years, ASCI Academy aims to train 100,000 current and emerging professionals through self-learning and on-campus workshops and sessions, besides programs for research and consumer education. This is a new chapter in self-regulation in India, and we are grateful to all our founding partners for supporting this vision. We hope to add several more believers in this agenda- this is just the beginning”.

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