Latest news with #AdvertisingStandardsCouncilofIndia
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Market fraud caution: Sebi reiterates dabba trading is unlawful, warns investors to remain alert
Markets regulator Sebi has once again warned investors against dabba trading, calling it illegal and urging the public to remain alert and avoid dealing with entities offering such unauthorised trading services. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In a statement issued on Monday, Sebi said, 'It is reiterated that dabba trading is illegal, and Sebi is committed to safeguarding investor interests through regulatory enforcement, awareness, and coordination with law enforcement agencies. Investors are advised to remain vigilant and not to deal with any entity offering illegal trading services.' Dabba trading refers to off-market trades that take place outside recognised stock exchanges and regulatory supervision. According to Sebi, such activities violate provisions of the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956, the Sebi Act, 1992, and the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita, 2023, PTI reported. The fresh advisory comes after Sebi took serious note of an advertisement in a daily newspaper last week that promoted dabba trading. Following this, Sebi, along with the National Stock Exchange ( ), initiated multiple actions. Sebi issued a formal communication to the newspaper expressing concern over the ad's promotion of illegal trading and its potential to mislead investors. The regulator has also filed a complaint with the cyber police seeking legal action against the entity behind the ad and other involved parties. The matter has also been referred to the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) to examine possible violations of advertising norms and take corrective steps. Separately, NSE issued an investor caution alert highlighting the risks of dabba trading and warning the public against dealing with the entities mentioned in the ad. The exchange reiterated that investors should only trade through Sebi-registered brokers and recognised stock exchanges.
Time of India
6 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Indian advertising's masculinity maze: 94% of ads miss evolving male identity
A new report, "The Indian Masculinity Maze," from Kantar, in collaboration with the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) and UN Women Unstereotype Alliance, suggests a growing disconnect between how urban Indian men perceive themselves and how they're shown in advertising. The report urges brands to re-evaluate their portrayals of men, highlighting that more authentic representation can lead to improved business outcomes. The study combined a survey of 880 urban Indian men aged 18 to 45 across eight cities with an analysis of over 450 TV advertisements. It found that while male identities are evolving, advertising often lags. The evolving Indian man Today's Indian men are navigating complex shifts. They're dealing with emotional pressures, taking on more diverse roles at home, and rethinking their own self-perceptions. However, advertising often sticks to a more traditional, stoic image. For example, 71 per cent of men in the survey agreed that "real men don't cry," yet many also feel this expectation is outdated and emotionally limiting. Younger men, particularly Gen Z, are more open to expressing emotions and embracing change. Still, 41 per cent of Millennials and 31 per cent of Gen Z men feel negatively represented in advertising, a contrast to older generations. Men frequently report suppressing emotions like fear, loneliness, and vulnerability—feelings rarely seen in mainstream advertisements. Where advertising misses the mark The analysis of advertisements revealed a continued reliance on outdated masculine stereotypes. Only six per cent of male characters explicitly showed respect or emotional care towards women, and 94 per cent of ads did not challenge traditional male roles. Men's voices were used for 43 per cent of voiceovers, compared to 31 per cent for women, suggesting male authority even in narratives involving both genders. Furthermore, household and caregiving roles were present in only one per cent of ads featuring men, despite Indian men reportedly being more open to sharing domestic responsibilities. This gap between reality and advertising portrayals could be a missed opportunity for brands. The business impact of authentic portrayals The report also indicates that moving beyond stereotypes isn't just about social progress; it can be good for business. It shows that advertisements depicting men as empathetic and emotionally nuanced can lead to a significant lift in long-term brand equity and increased short-term sales likelihood. Brands that include diverse perspectives in their ad testing, particularly in personal care and household categories, often see better performance across all genders. Gen Z: A missed opportunity Gen Z men, despite their openness to more varied expressions of masculinity, often feel misunderstood or caricatured in advertising. Over 60 per cent of them believe that confidence, control, and appearance are overly emphasised in ads. While 48 per cent feel that grooming is shown with excessive pressure, 32 per cent believe that men's parenting roles are underrepresented. This generation is navigating a blend of tradition and change and current advertising may not be effectively connecting with their experiences. A path forward for brands The report offers six suggestions for brands to better connect with modern masculinity : Portray real lives: Show men dealing with everyday challenges like health, work stress and caregiving. Represent shared roles: Normalise men in caregiving and emotional labor roles, not as exceptions. Focus on the emotional journey: Depict men as individuals who are still figuring things out, rather than always confident and composed. Test inclusively: Include male perspectives in ad testing, especially for products where masculinity and consumption intersect. Model contemporary masculinity: Blend resilience with vulnerability and leadership with empathy, allowing men to be soft, reflective, or even indecisive. Colour the whitespace: Address unmet needs in areas like health, identity, and emotional well-being, which represent both creative and category opportunities. The report also suggests that by understanding the evolving realities of Indian men, brands can create more relevant and effective advertising that resonates with a broader audience and potentially drives stronger commercial results.
Mint
7 days ago
- Business
- Mint
Gen Z leads the way: Indian men demand nuanced portrayals from ads
Indian men, particularly Gen Z, are challenging the way advertising depicts masculinity. A new Kantar study highlights how urban Indian men feel that ads continue to rely on outdated views, portraying them as stoic, confident providers rather than as emotionally complex individuals navigating modern life. Kantar conducted this study, surveying 880 men aged 18-45 across Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, and Pune. The study aimed to understand the roles men play in both private and professional spheres and how advertisers depict these roles. Additionally, Kantar analysed 457 Indian TV ads to identify traditional male and female roles. The findings, shared exclusively withMint, sought to chart the experiences of Indian men and explore their intersection with brand stories in advertising. Progressive advertising is a proven growth lever. Brands that reflect real, relatable masculinity outperform on metrics such as trust, relevance, and purchase intent, it said. Also Read: Are quick commerce platforms operating in a grey zone with cigarette sales? In fact, 41% of millennials (28-43 years) surveyed feel negatively represented in advertising, while 31% of Gen Z feel the same. The report indicates that urban Indian men are transitioning from traditional roles of being caretakers and emotionally resilient figures to valuing greater partnership at home and appearing more vulnerable. This shift is particularly pronounced among younger, urban men (Gen Z), who are actively rejecting traditional portrayals and seeking more nuanced and holistic representation in popular media. "Indian men are not a monolith. Their roles are expanding, their expectations shifting, and their emotional space deepening. Their aspirations are influenced not just by career goals, but by questions of identity, partnership, health, and well-being. Yet advertising still leans on dated tropes that fail to reflect the full picture," according to the report, anchored by Kantar along with the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI). Kantar observed that dominant advertising narratives continue to rely on familiar portrayals of men—the confident provider, the emotionally distant achiever, the unflinching decision-maker. These characters may feel familiar, but they no longer feel complete, it added. Men today describe a reality for themselves that is more 'complex, more conflicted, and more emotionally nuanced". Those surveyed also said that ads under-represent traditional pressures like financial responsibility or internal conflict. "Men are feeling a bit alienated in the mainstream narrative, globally and in India. There is a moment of reconsideration for masculinity. Men are evolving, but advertising hasn't yet caught up. Men are more diverse, more plural, and are more nuanced compared to the relative stereotyping that they see of themselves in advertising," Soumya Mohanty, managing director and chief client officer, Kantar, said in an interview withMint. In fact, Kantar found that the majority of ads in categories like personal care, food, and household are still tested only among women, even when men are visible users, buyers, or influencers. In personal care, only 8% of ads were tested among all genders, while 87% were tested only with women. Even in food and Beverages, male representation in testing remains low. Roles and appearances Those surveyed said they are tired of having to appear confident and feel disconnected from societal portrayals that rarely reflect their real lives. They are also under pressure to succeed and provide without showing any visible signs of doubt. Men also fear loneliness and failure. However, advertisers said such a change is hard to come by immediately. "In small towns and cities (up country India) men want to be seen as macho and also see macho men on screen. Social hierarchies exist in a country like India, and they remain very well defined. There is nothing wrong or right about it. At the end of the day, it's about a brand's point of view and who they are targeting," said Sandeep Goyal, managing director at advertising agency Rediffusion. Among other findings, a large majority of men (71%) still believe "a real man should never cry," indicating that the stigma around emotional openness continues to restrict men's ability to express vulnerability. For instance, men don't strongly believe domestic tasks are off-limits for them, but they perceive that ads reinforce this idea. Many men feel ads exaggerate traditional portrayals, especially concerning domestic roles. Also Read: Prada delegation land in Kolhapur over ₹1 lakh 'Kolhapuri' sandals Ads also standardise the notion of the way men are expected to look, while overt reliance on grooming is also often critiqued. For instance, across the 457 ads reviewed by Kantar, one profile largely dominates that of the clean-cut, medium-toned, and middle-aged man. The range of male portrayals is repetitive. Men aged 20-39 lead male representation (32%), while older and teenage males are nearly invisible. Medium skin tone dominates (36%), with light (13%) and dark (6%) tones far less visible. Regular physiques appear in 45% of ads, with fitness extremes being rare. Gender roles To be sure, in a large and complex market like India where traditional roles of caregiving and domesticity often openly fall squarely on women, and where women aren't always encouraged to work or find meaningful employment, any shifts in their financial status or their ability to take on stronger decision-making roles, both outside and within the home, are certainly worth capturing in popular media. Kantar's Mohanty said that over the past decade, advertisers have done a great job capturing the shift in women being more progressive and financially independent. For instance, more ads now show women in demanding jobs, dismantling notions around appearances or even single mothers raising children. Meanwhile, Kantar suggests that brands should move beyond 'high-achieving" archetypes of men in advertisements and feature men navigating the demands of real life, dealing with health concerns, work stress, caregiving responsibilities, or managing uncertainty. Also Read: Cooling edible oil prices, good monsoon stoke AWL's optimism for strong demand Similarly, highlighting caregiving, nurturing, sharing domestic responsibilities, and emotional labour should be portrayed as 'regular" parts of life for men, not exceptions. Additionally, male characters cooking, helping children get ready for school, or discussing emotions with partners should become standard, not symbolic. Men in ads are shown as "already sorted, already wise, already transformed." However, for many, the reality is they are "still figuring things out." Brands should show the in-between, where men are working under pressure and learning to express themselves.
Mint
23-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
Massive rise in betting ads: A call for vigilance
With the growing number of advertisements for illegal offshore betting platforms flooding the digital space, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has had to take serious steps to protect consumers. Recognizing the scale and sophistication of these ads, ASCI instituted advanced digital monitoring systems and deployed specialized vigilance teams to detect and report misleading promotions. What these teams uncovered was alarming. Many of these platforms used artificial intelligence to create deepfake videos featuring fabricated testimonials—people claiming they had made so much money from betting that they no longer needed to work. These ads were not only deceptive but dangerously persuasive. In several cases, up to 60 different URLs directed users to the same illegal betting site—an elaborate strategy to bypass detection and takedown measures. Also read: Here's how to navigate complex TDS rules for ads, software subscriptions & more Even more concerning was how such promotions were embedded in seemingly innocent content. Cooking tutorials, lifestyle tips, and other harmless-looking videos were found to contain hidden links—via tickers, hashtags, or even bio links—leading viewers to betting platforms. Major social media platforms, despite their advanced ad systems, struggled to catch and block these ads. This raises a crucial question: Who is responsible for ensuring such illegal and misleading ads don't reach consumers? While ASCI continues to do its part through proactive monitoring, there is a clear need for stronger platform accountability to detect such violations of the law, and prevent such ads from appearing in consumer feeds. ASCI works closely with government regulators to report such breaches of the law, who then take them down; however addressing this at scale remains a challenge. Digital infrastructure growth and smartphone usage, while being critical economic drivers, have facilitated such potentially harmful targeting of consumers. As has the promotion of betting apps by celebrities and social media influencers. A Digital India Foundation report in March said that just four such platforms accounted for 1.6 billion visits in a mere three months. Organic search traffic to these sites was recorded at 184 million visits. Also read: Brands pile in, ads get shorter: IPL 18 rewrites the rules of cricket-time marketing: Report Another recent report, by the think tank Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS) International, warned about the explosive growth of illegal online gambling platforms, of threats to minors, young adults and national financial integrity. Such platforms, the report said, had estimated annual deposits of about $100 billion and the top 15 illegal platforms logged 5.4 billion visits in FY25. The CUTS report further highlighted that these platforms often bypass basic safeguards such as Know Your Customer and age verification, giving minors and young adults unregulated access to gambling content. Some offshore operators even use tactics like cash-on-delivery, making it easier for minors who may lack digital payment access, to gamble. Such is their reach that in March 2025, one such platform outranked even universally popular sites like and as per reports. ASCI's recently released annual complaints report showed a sharp spike in the rise of illegal offshore betting and gambling ads. From 1,311 in 2023-24 to 3,081 in 2024-25, the number of cases reported more than doubled. ASCI enhanced monitoring resources and set up a special monitoring cell, under an MoU it signed with the federations representing Real Money Games, which are legally permitted and regulated in most states in India. Left unchecked, the gambling platforms can lead to addictive behaviour and financial risks. Additionally, they can expose consumers to risks like cyber attacks and unsafe online environments. Such unregulated activity can even threaten national security by acting as channels for money laundering and terror financing. Also read: From skincare to smartphones: Ads by Apple, Mamaearth, L'Oreal under scrutiny Hence, there is a serious risk for consumers and society. As digital infrastructure and access to it grows, such platforms have the potential to target more consumers who are unaware of their illegality and harmful impacts. Regular monitoring and collaborations between industry, self-regulators and the government will be the key to consumer protection in the days to come. In the long term, a comprehensive regulatory framework that addresses some of the challenges of online gambling will need to be established to provide systemic solutions to this large-scale consumer threat. Manisha Kapoor is chief executive officer and secretary general of the Advertising Standards Council of India.
Time of India
03-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
MPL parent company serves legal notice to ASCI, demands INR 50 crore for alleged defamation
HighlightsGalactus Funware Technology, the parent company of Mobile Premier League, has issued a legal notice to the Advertising Standards Council of India demanding the withdrawal of a whitepaper on opinion trading and seeking INR 50 crore in damages for alleged defamation. The legal notice accuses the Advertising Standards Council of India of publishing a biased whitepaper that misrepresents Mobile Premier League's advertisements by allegedly tampering with screenshots and removing disclaimers. Galactus Funware Technology is challenging the authority of the Advertising Standards Council of India to comment on opinion trading, arguing that it does not have the mandate to categorize such activities as lacking skill, particularly as the legality of these games is currently under judicial review. Galactus Funware Technology , the parent company of online gaming platform MPL ( Mobile Premier League ), has issued a legal notice to the Advertising Standards Council of India ( ASCI ), demanding the immediate withdrawal of a whitepaper titled "Examining Opinion Trading in India" and seeking INR 50 crore in damages for alleged defamation and loss of goodwill. The legal notice, dated May 23, 2025, sent through their legal counsel Trilegal, accuses ASCI of publishing a "biased and unsubstantiated" whitepaper that relies on "tampered" versions of MPL's advertisements and misrepresents their content to mislead consumers. Allegations of tampering and misrepresentation Galactus Funware claims that the ASCI whitepaper, published in May 2025, deliberately edited screenshots of their advertisements to support a "baseless conclusion" that opinion trading involves an "element of risk" and "chances of financial losses". The notice highlights specific instances of alleged tampering citing that ASCI allegedly removed disclaimers present in the original advertisement, thereby misrepresenting its compliance with advertising codes. The company states that a screenshot from an educational YouTube video, emphasising "Skill, Interest, Knowledge," was taken out of context and selectively edited to imply risk, despite the video's focus on skill development. Galactus Funware also claims ASCI reproduced only a partial section of their website, omitting detailed content on skill, knowledge, and responsible gameplay, and intentionally removing disclaimers. "The Opinion Trading Whitepaper represents a gross misuse of ASCI's position and seemingly been issued with the sole intent of spreading misinformation and defaming our Client," the legal notice states, adding that its "sensationalist tone reeks of vested interests and a blatant disregard for objectivity". The advertising self-regulatory body, ASCI told ET that they were in receipt of the notice, but a spokesperson denied any wrongdoing. "We are in receipt of the notice and there is absolutely no question of tampering," the regulator said, in response to a query from ET. ASCI's Mandate Questioned Beyond the allegations of tampering, Galactus Funware challenges ASCI's authority to publish such a whitepaper. They argue that ASCI's charter, the Code for Self-Regulation in Advertising, does not provide for commenting on the nature or legality of any industry's operations. The notice further asserts that ASCI has "no technical acumen or mandate" to categorise opinion trading as a game devoid of skill, equating it to betting or wagering, especially when the legality and categorisation of such games are sub-judice before various high courts, with proceedings stayed by the Supreme Court. Galactus Funware has given ASCI three days from the issuance of the notice to publicly withdraw the whitepaper. Failure to comply will result in the initiation of "appropriate legal actions (both civil and criminal)" for "deceptive and defamatory conduct", the notice said. The company also warned that it would seek further compensation for each day the whitepaper remains in the public domain beyond the stipulated three days. Copies of the legal notice have also been sent to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the All India Gaming Federation. When ET reached out to MPL for their response, a spokesperson declined to comment.
