Storyboard18 | Ads hurting religious sentiments, mocking men offend Indians: report

Among the ads deemed offensive were those that seemingly provoked children’s interest in ‘adult life’, particularly in the idea of sexuality and physical intimacy.

Months after advertisements for Fem Bleach, Amul Macho and Fabindia were vehemently criticised across social media platforms, ad industry body the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has identified six types of ads that offended Indian consumers.

Among these are ads that “mock men” and hurt religious sentiments.

In a recent report titled ‘What India Takes Offence To’, ASCI evaluated 1,759 complaints against 488 advertisements over the past three years to identify key trends in advertisements deemed offensive.

ASCI undertook a deep-dive to identify trends in such complaints in order to deconstruct, not only the messaging that was found objectionable, but also the articulation of the complaint along with the desired action asked for.

The ads covered include those that may not necessarily be in violation of ASCI codes, but nevertheless offended people/ groups. The objective of the report is to provide a pulse on consumer sentiment to different stakeholders.

Socially undesirable depictions for commercial gains emerged as one of the top trends when it comes to offensive spots. Some ads were seen to reinforce depictions of society that perpetuated unhealthy practices or beliefs for the sole purpose of commercial gains. For example, ads that promote stereotypes such as fair skin, certain body shapes or ads that create undue pressure on parents and kids in the field of education.

Ads that were inappropriate for children have been identified as another category. This category had ads, mostly viewed at prime-time, that seemingly provoked children’s interest in ‘adult life’, particularly in the idea of sexuality and physical intimacy. The complainants were largely embarrassed or concerned parents.

Advertising mocking men where the gender has been depicted in a negative or poor light, even in humorous or introspective ways, were considered offensive by some. Ads where people seemingly crossed cultural boundaries was another trend. Depiction in these ads seemed to cross boundaries set by society or to make fun of what was considered sacred in our culture. Individualist depictions, particularly of youth and women, were key triggers. Many ads that showed intergenerational dynamics in non-traditional ways were also considered problematic by some people.

Campaigns that hurt religious sentiments were also identified as a key theme that offended consumers. Ads portraying mixed religious narratives, depictions of new interpretations of traditions or the use of religious and cultural motifs in a humorous manner became a trigger point. Complainants questioned the intent of the ads and felt the need to guard against conspiracies.

The last trend was ads that depicted unpleasant realities. Everyday realities, when depicted in an in-your-face manner, triggered complaints from consumers who preferred a more sheltered and ‘civilised’ version of realities. Showcasing death, raw meat or blood tended to raise the hackles of these complainants.

Subhash Kamath, chairman, ASCI said, “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.”

The Advertising Advice is a paid-for service, available to both members and non-members, and helps advertisers and brands understand, at the campaign planning stage itself, whether their claims are exaggerated or not.