The rise of misleading advertisements in India

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Editor's note: “Nearly every ad exaggerates,” says Prahlad Kakkar, veteran ad film maker. A pack of instant noodles rarely cooks instantly. A pizza order often doesn’t make it to your doorstep in 30 minutes. “But as long as it is within reasonable limits, and as long as the product/service does the job it promises, it’s overlooked.” But sometimes, these claims defy reason. That’s when you need a watchdog. In India, that’s the Advertising Standards Council of India. The ASCI is a voluntary, self-regulatory body consisting of members drawn from marketing, creative, media and allied companies. It investigates consumer complaints as well as monitors, suo motu, ads across platforms: print, TV, radio, SMS, digital, outdoor and assorted media. Every month, the ASCI monitors over 45,000 print and about 1,500 TV ads. Over 50% of the ads they now process are from digital and internet platforms.  The council puts out monthly and annual reports on the complaints it receives and its recommendations. The complaints provide an insight into which sectors are pushing the most misleading advertisements. Last month, it gave us access to data …