New Delhi : Advertising industry watchdog ASCI upheld complaints against 79 campaigns in September for misleading ads, including those by Hyundai Motors, Fiat Group Automobiles, Hero Motocorp, HUL, Red Bull, Bacardi and Star India.
The Customer Complaints Council (CCC) received 100 complaints in the month and the 49 upheld were in the personal and healthcare category, the Advertising Standard Council of India (ASCI) said in a statement.
The council concluded that South Koren auto maker Hyundai Motors has violated its code in the hatchback i20 commercial showing the visual of a high speed car and manoeuvrability in a manner which encourages ‘unsafe and reckless driving’.
It also upheld complaints against Hero MotoCorp, the world’s largest two-wheeler maker by volumes, which in a TVC of Karizma ZMR has shown special capability of the bike to navigate over snow.
“In absence of commercially available tyres (as qualified in the supers), that are critical to deliver such performance distorts facts and is misleading,” said ASCI.
It also slammed Fiat Group Automobiles India for showing stunts in the advertisement of hatchback Punto. According to ASCI, the campaign had “dangerous stunts of passengers hanging out of the car while the car is in motion and violates the traffic rules”.
ASCI upheld complaint against Hindustan Unilever, which in the ad claimed that of various powders tested Surf Excel Matic provided the most effective cleanliness. According to the ad regulator, it was “misleading as the comparison is made versus ordinary powders not meant for machine wash”.
It also upheld complaints against Bacardi promoting liquors through radio ad of Bacardi Breezer Music CDs.
“The advertiser is promoting their liquor product – Bacardi Breezer through the radio advertisement. The advertiser had violated the Brand extension advertising code,” the Customer Complaints Council (CCC) said.
Energy drink Red Bull was also slammed for showing dangerous practices in an advertisement, which “manifests a disregard for safety”.
Complaint against broadcast major Star was also upheld for the TV promo of Gumraah Season 3.
According to CCC:” The TVC promo of Gumraah Season 3 presents criminality and directly or indirectly encourages people – particularly minors- to emulate it or conveys the modus operandi of any crime.”
Another broadcaster Sahara India TV Network was also pulled up for commercial of ‘Shri Hanuman JiCholewale’. “The advertisement utilised the services of well-known personalities from the entertainment industries and encouraged blind faith belief.”
