Bollywood actors Ranveer Singh, and Jacqueline Fernandez have been listed by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI). They have violated the criteria for influencer advertising in digital media.
Introduction
The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) Guidelines for Influencer Advertising in Digital Media were violated by Bollywood celebrities Ranveer Singh and Jacqueline Fernandez. It also included more than two dozen digital artists.
Twenty-eight influencers, including Bollywood stars and fashion and lifestyle bloggers, were named in a study by the Indian advertising industry’s self-governing organization on Thursday.
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New Guidelines
The ASCI stated that the team contacted the influencers and companies and requested that they adhere to the criteria. On the initial occasion and during subsequent regular inspections, the individuals on this list did not adhere to the disclosure requirements.
Manyavar, Nykaa e-retail, Vivo Mobile, Malabar Gold, and Myntra were just a few of the companies found to be in violation as of January 2022.
Manyavar Creations promoted actor Ranveer Singh as a non-complier. Colorbar Cosmetics promoted actress Jacqueline Fernandez as a non-complier.
Influencer advertising in digital media has been regulated by ASCI since May 27, 2021. This was to safeguard the integrity of sponsored posts on social media by influencers. On June 14, 2021, the guidelines went into force.
After screening 5,000 posts, articles, and feeds from influencer accounts, 719 postings were deemed to be “prima facie violations” by ASCI. There were 21% of all complaints received by the council from end-users.
According to the audit, key infractions were the lack of disclosures, inaccurate disclosure placement, and disclosure inconsistency. Fashion & lifestyle accounted for 29% of the commercials without disclaimers, followed by cosmetics (19%), food & beverages (13%), and personal care (13%).
Result of non-compliance
Manisha Kapoor, General Secretary of ASCI, said, “We hope this signals to the industry that we are serious about consumer protection and pushing the agenda around misleading ads. And that we will continue to educate, collaborate to reach out to more and more influencers and brands to spread the message of responsibility and transparency in advertising.“
Influencers were required to mark their promotional postings last June to maintain openness and protect the rights of customers. Influencers and marketers must both identify sponsored posts if they have a meaningful link, according to the standards.
If they fail to do so, both will be held liable. Social media posts, reels, and articles must have a clear and conspicuous disclosure label. These labels must be recognisable and prominent, not buried behind hashtags.
About 5,000 influencers’ social media accounts were reviewed between July and December of 2021. This comprised posts, articles, and feeds that had been seen by consumers.
719 of the complaints fell short of the standards. However, 86% of influencers agreed with ASCI’s request to retract or alter their posts.
Conclusion
According to influencer agency marketing executives, ASCI’s new strategy may dissuade bigger businesses from breaking these restrictions in the future.
This is a list that no company or influencer wants to be on. It has a direct effect on a brand’s image and reputation in the market. An executive from a creative influencer agency noted that if the criteria are not followed, both the company and the artist bear responsibility.
