Beware! Misleading ad-game tricking Indians rather than offering ‘Umeedo Wali Dhoop’?
ads over the years have left a lasting impression over the years. Be it Amul’s «Utterly Butterly Delicious,» which has been in circulation since 1966, or Cadbury ads, all of them have played a pivotal role in marketing a brand. Ads, as we know them, have a profound influence on buyers’ decisions and perceptions.
Advertisements play a crucial role in placing a brand in the spotlight and capturing consumer attention. They are built on narratives that project a brand's unique proposition to consumers. However, in the pursuit of gaining consumer share, some brands are said to resort to misleading claims in their ads.
Advertisements frequently use emotional appeals to persuade consumers. This can lead to decisions based on emotions rather than facts. Misleading visuals or language can make products appear more effective than they are. For example, the ASCI banned Kellogg’s Special K cereal ad in 2019 for unsubstantiated claims about reducing belly fat, something so many of us are always looking out for!
Similarly, Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali has faced repercussions at the Supreme Court for its misleading ads and that too about what the entire global was scared about — Coronavirus. This highlights a trend of increasing misleading ads, driven by the desire for higher market share, pressure to meet sales targets, competition, and a lack of ethical guidelines.
In the year 2023-24, ASCI evaluated 8,299 advertisements, of which 81% were found guilty of misleading ads. 94% of these violations were identified through proactive
