Given that most of us have at one time or another fallen for the tall promises made in advertisements, the government's move to bring in a law to curb such ads is more than welcome
Given that most of us have at one time or another fallen for the tall promises made in advertisements, the government's move to bring in a law to curb such ads is more than welcome. The proposed law provides for a fine of up to Rs 50 lakh and a ban on advertising the product for up to three years if the product has been endorsed by a celebrity.
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That the law has been sought despite India, like all other countries, having a self-regulatory advertising body - the Advertising Standards Council of India - says a lot for the body. Strangely, one of ASCI's mandates of its Code for Self-regulation is that the advertisements be 'honest representations'. Yet, day after day, grossly misleading advertisements continue to be churned out unchecked.
Fairness creams, for instance. Their very premise is false. Scientific evidence suggests that no cream, no matter what supernatural ingredients it is infused with, can change the colour of skin. A top brand was taken to the cleaners by a 23-year-old and fined Rs 15 lakh for making false promises of fairness. The ad was eventually pulled off the air.
Then there are instant, 'healthy' noodles (a blatant oxymoron), malt drinks that boost memory, energy drinks that make you air borne, the list is endless. While the psychology of advertising is to address the eternal hope in the human heart, we could all do with a dose of realism and logic.
Given that we would be shelling out good money for these promises, there is no harm in questioning their veracity once in a while. Until the law is put in place - the Cabinet is still to approve it - it's probably a good idea for us to use our grey cells to sift the real from the ridiculous.
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