We need to eliminate stereotyping in our ads: D Shivakumar, Chairman, ASCI

The newly elected Chairman on how he plans to chart a new course for the self-regulatory body, government’s intervention in regulating advertising and more.

e4m by Misbaah Mansuri
Published: Sep 14, 2018 9:00 AM  | 3 min read

At the recent board meeting of The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), D Shivakumar, Group Executive President, Corporate Strategy, Aditya Birla Group, was unanimously elected as the Chairman of the Board of ASCI. As a member of the Board of Governors for past three years, he has always supported self-regulation.

Shivakumar has spent over 19 years in sales, marketing and general management positions across consumer products and the luxury industry. He succeeds Abanti Sankaranarayanan, Chief Strategy and Corporate Affairs officer, Diageo India. exchange4media chatted with the newly elected Chairman on how he plans to chart a new course for the self-regulatory body, government’s intervention in regulating advertising and more.

Edited excerpts:

What are your visions for ASCI for the next one year? How do you plan to chart a new course for the body?

ASCI has been around since 1985. Advertising remains imperative in today's world. The total advertising expenditure is over Rs 70,000 crore. ASCI is a self-regulatory body. So my visions are to increase the awareness around ASCI among consumers. ASCI has excellent collaboration with Doordarshan and Department of Consumer Affairs, etc. We would be working towards getting more industry participation and towards working closely with the government, regulator and ecosystem.

Do you feel ASCI needs more power to actually take action against offenders? Critics say that the damage is already done by the time ASCI reacts.

As more sectors and people join the ASCI movement, I think we will see better compliance.

What are some of the key suggestions that have come forward on improving ASCI?

There is nothing like one key suggestion. It is evolving as and when new things come up and that will keep happening. Whether you’ve had to do with automotives or herbal medicines or insurance, as and when something comes up, people do talk about it. An area which will become significantly important is celebrity advertising. Around 50 per cent of all advertising today is celebrity advertising. There are a lot of challenges in this space from society. Brands need to worry that the celebrity is the right person. Also, there is the liability factor.

With regards to holding celebrities accountable for the products they endorse, shouldn’t brands be accountable for exploiting consumers’ insecurities?

Overall, today trust is a premium in the world. I think any type of stereotyping in advertising or communication won’t go well. We need to think about and eliminate stereotyping or any kind of edginess. Today, we have to be far more mindful about advertising and far more sensitive to the society. A number of brands might not be recognising it today, but they need to adhere to this. So it’s important for brands to be mindful of society’s boundaries.

If there is one thing that the advertising needs to address right now, what would you advise?

Advertising industry is such a large one. The heart of all advertising is creativity. I feel that digital now gives advertising far more latitude and power than ever before. The Supreme Court recently abolished Section 377. Over 20 brands took advantage of it, releasing topical ads and creatives riding the wave. Creativity and responsiveness to fast-changing events remain the biggest challenge for advertising today.

In the months gone by, is there a particular sector that you have seen attracting a larger number of complaints compared to the others?

The magic remedies and special interest groups do attract a large number of complaints.

What is your opinion on government’s intervention when it comes to the regulation of advertising? Can ASCI work in tandem with a government body?

Yes. All self-regulation has to be of influence and negotiation. We have to work in tandem with not just the government and the regulator, but also with advertising agencies, advertisers, media-houses, etc.

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E4M Our strategy is to target younger audiences through Sports: Rajiv Dubey, Dabur

The Head of Media at Dabur India spoke exclusively to exchange4media on the World Cup, associating with Indian Idol, the company’s digital spending and much more

e4m by e4m Staff
Published: Oct 27, 2023 6:15 PM  | 1 min read
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With quirky campaigns, memes and moment marketing, timed with the ongoing World Cup and particularly the India-Pakistan matches, Dabur India has got considerable consumer attention for its popular brands – Red Paste, Cool King Hair Oil, Chyawanprash, Dabur Vita and the recently launched Bae Fresh Gel toothpaste.

The 140-year-old company is going big on key sporting events, World Television Premiere (WTP) movies and reality shows. It is now gearing up to become the title sponsor of popular talent show ‘Indian Idol’ on Sony TV for the first time, shared Rajiv Dubey, who leads the media strategy at Dabur.

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Swapan Seth's new book 'COOL' is out

The book is a reflection of the author's 'eclectic taste across categories'

e4m by e4m Staff
Published: Oct 27, 2023 6:07 PM  | 1 min read
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Advertising professional and art collector Swapan Seth has announced the launch of his new book COOL. The book is described as "a ready reckoner to the hip and the happening, of the known and the very unknown."

The book is a reflection of the author's "eclectic taste across categories: from boltholes to exotic hideaways."

COOL has been published by Simon & Schuster India and is available on Amazon.

Seth is an ad veteran with a long and illustrious career in the industry. He became the youngest-ever Creative Director at Clarion at age 24. He was VP at 26 at Trikaya Grey. Two years later, he started his agency Equus.

He writes for publications such as The Economic Times, Hindustan Times and India Today. This is his second book and he has previously published THIS IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

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Disney Star signs 9 sponsors for Asia Cup PAK

Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up come on board

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 26, 2023 11:48 AM  | 1 min read
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e4m Staff Disney Star has signed nine broadcast and digital streaming sponsors for the upcoming Asia Cup.

Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up have come on board for the upcoming tournament.
As reported earlier by exchange4media, Disney Star has sought Rs 26 crore for the co-presenting sponsorship on TV and Rs 30 crore for Disney+ Hotstar.

According to industry sources, the associate sponsorship on Star Sports has been priced at Rs 19.66 crore, whereas for the ‘powered by’ sponsorship on Disney+ Hotstar, the broadcaster is seeking Rs 18 crore.

As per the information available with exchange4media, Disney+ Hotstar has three sponsorship tiers-- co-presenting (Rs 30 crore), powered by (Rs 18 crore) and associate sponsorship (Rs 12 crore). The broadcaster is offering an estimated reach of 120-140 million for co-presenting sponsors, 90-100 million for powered by and 60-70 million for associate sponsorship.

A spot buy for 10 seconds has been priced at Rs 25 lakh for the India vs Pakistan matches, while for the non-India matches, the ad rate for 10 second is Rs 2.3 lakh. The India matches plus the final for ODIs has been priced at Rs 17 lakh per 10 seconds.

Asia Cup is scheduled to be held from 30 August, 2023, to September 17, 2023.

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Sorted 360 wins creative & social media mandate of Reliance Mall

The agency will manage offline and online campaigns for Reliance Mall

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 26, 2023 10:54 AM  | 1 min read
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Sorted 360, an integrated creative and social media agency, has won the mandate to providing brand solutions for Reliance Malls across India.

“Sorted 360 is set to enhance Reliance Malls' market presence with their unparalleled creative prowess and strategic thinking,” read a press release.

“Sorted 360's commitment to pushing the boundaries of creative communication aligns perfectly with Reliance Malls' ethos. With a pan-India presence spanning across 19 cities and growing, Reliance Malls has consistently captivated customers by offering an array of Reliance brands and third-party fashion & lifestyle brands. The mall has established an unparalleled connection with its patrons through superior quality, a remarkable value proposition, and an unmatched shopping experience,” it read further.

"We are thrilled to welcome Sorted 360 as our trusted partner in advancing our brand presence across the nation," said the Head of Marketing at Relaice Malls. "Their proven expertise in retail, shopping center management, and innovative creative strategies make them the perfect fit for our vision."

"Partnering with Reliance Malls is a testament to our commitment to shaping extraordinary brand experiences," remarked Prerana Anatharam, Co-founder of Sorted 360. "We are excited to leverage our strategic and creative acumen to further elevate Reliance Malls as the epitome of convenience, choice, and excellence."

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e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 25, 2023 4:39 PM  | 1 min read

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e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 25, 2023 4:38 PM  | 1 min read

KlugKlug onboards Hemang Mehta as Country Manager for Indias

Mehta was most recently Head of Agency Relationships at Network 18 Media & Investments

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 24, 2023 3:35 PM  | 1 min read
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KlugKlug has appointed Hemang Mehta as its Country Manager for India.

Mehta will play a pivotal role in driving KlugKlug's growth and expansion within the Indian market and be responsible for Sales & GTM Strategy

Prior to that, he has also represented organisations like Exponential (now VDX.tv), India Today Digital and Rediff.com. His expertise spans various domains including digital media sales, mobile marketing, media planning, and buying, social media marketing, and more.

Hemang Mehta expressed his enthusiasm about joining KlugKlug, saying, "I am thrilled to be a part of KlugKlug, a forward-thinking platform that is reshaping the influencer marketing landscape. As much as I look forward to collaborating with the exuberant team at KlugKlug, I am super excited to interact with the brands to deliver powerful data-backed Influencer solutions that will guarantee business outcomes."

Commenting on the appointment, Kalyan Kumar, Co-Founder and CEO of KlugKlug, stated, "We are excited to welcome Hemang Mehta to our team as the Country Manager for India. His extensive experience in digital media sales and marketing will be instrumental in driving our efforts to provide influencer marketing solutions to our clients. We believe Hemang's leadership will be key in scaling our operations and expanding our reach within the Indian market."

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