Ads that offend India: Six major triggers

With hundreds of complaints each year against advertisements that the Indian public finds offensive, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has compiled the “What India Takes Offence To” report, which uncovers six major triggers.

Why it matters

Insights into what people find objectionable in advertising can help brands to plan campaigns better and be more cognisant of consumer sentiment, thus resulting in more sensitised creative development.

Key insights

• Socially undesirable depictions for commercial gains, e.g. ads that promote stereotypes such as fair skin, certain body shapes or create pressure on parents/kids in the field of education.
• Inappropriate for children, e.g. ads mostly viewed at prime time that seemingly provoked children’s interest in “adult life”, particularly in the areas of sexuality and physical intimacy.
• Ads where people seemingly crossed cultural boundaries, e.g. going beyond boundaries set by society or making fun of what is considered sacred in a culture.
• Advertising that mocks men, e.g. ads where men were depicted in a negative or poor light – even in humorous or introspective ways – were considered offensive by some.
• Hurting religious sentiments, e.g. ads portraying mixed religious narratives, depictions of new interpretations of traditions or the use of religious and cultural motifs in a humorous manner.
• Depicting unpleasant realities, e.g. in an in-your-face manner that showcases death, raw meat or blood that tended to trigger the complaints.

Key quote

“At ASCI, we believe our role is not just to police the narrative but to also constantly add value to the industry by guiding our members towards more responsible advertising. These kinds of reports, along with initiatives like our ‘Advertising Advice’ service, will help the industry a lot in that direction.” – Subhash Kamath, chairman, ASCI.

Background

The report on “What India Takes Offence To” is based on 1,759 complaints against 488 advertisements over the past three years.