Advertising Standards Council of India

Advertising Standards Council of India Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) is a self-regulatory organization founded in 1985.

Like other countries around the world, India too has a self regulatory organization (SRO) for advertising content – The Advertising Standards Council of India, ASCI founded in 1985. The three main constituents of advertising industry viz advertisers, advertising agencies and media came together to form this independent SRO. The aim of ASCI is to maintain and enhance the public's confidence in adve

rtising. Their mandate is that all advertising material must be truthful, legal and honest, decent and not objectify women, safe for consumers - especially children and last but not the least, fair to their competitors.

25/05/2026

Dr Vivek Mittal, Executive Director, Legal and Corporate Affairs at Hindustan Unilever Limited, highlights why eliminating dark patterns isn’t just an ethical decision. It’s good for business too.

When consumers feel respected and informed, trust grows stronger. In a competitive digital ecosystem, trust is what keeps consumers coming back to a brand.

Watch as he explains why responsible practices and consumer-first experiences are essential for long-term brand credibility and loyalty.

Read and download the ASCI x Futurebrands India ‘What the Sigma?’ report to explore how Gen Alpha and advertising are shaping each other:https://www.ascionline.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/What-The-Sigma-Report.pdf

21/05/2026

“I thought being Gen Z meant I’d naturally understand Gen Alpha. But the gap is much bigger than I imagined.”

For Akriti S. from NMIMS, one of the biggest realizations was how deeply AI is embedded into the everyday lives of Gen Alpha, not just as a tool, but as a way of thinking and functioning.

Watch her perspective on what makes Gen Alpha truly different.

Read and download the ASCI x Futurebrands India ‘What the Sigma?’ report to explore how Gen Alpha and advertising are shaping each other:https://www.ascionline.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/What-The-Sigma-Report.pdf

Food regulation today goes beyond safety and standards into the fast-evolving world of digital advertising, influencer m...
19/05/2026

Food regulation today goes beyond safety and standards into the fast-evolving world of digital advertising, influencer marketing, and platform accountability.

ASCI, in collaboration with National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, is hosting an invite-only webinar on “Clicks, Claims, and Calories: Food Advertising in a Digital-First India.”

May 22, 2026
5:00 PM – 6:30 PM
Zoom Webinar

Join us as we explore health claims, influencer disclosure norms, targeted advertising, and the growing responsibility of digital platforms in shaping consumer choices around food advertising.

The panelists:
Suchana Mukherjee: General Counsel, Danone India
Dr. Saheli Sinha: Director Operations, ASCI
Dr. Sesikeran Boindala: MD, FAMS; Former Director, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition

The Moderator:
Sudhanshu Kumar: Associate Professor, National Law School of India University, Bengaluru

This is an invite-only webinar. To express your interest in attending, please write to [email protected].

ASCI's AdWise, a student ad-literacy program, achieves a milestone. More than 1 million students covered over thousands ...
18/05/2026

ASCI's AdWise, a student ad-literacy program, achieves a milestone.

More than 1 million students covered over thousands of classrooms and countless conversations. There was one shared goal: helping young minds better understand the advertising they engage with every day.

Through AdWise, students were encouraged to question messaging, recognise intent, and think more critically about media and persuasion from an early age.

18/05/2026

ASCI Monthly Ruling | April 2026

From the many complaints ASCI reviewed, here are just a few outcomes.

This month’s highlights:
• A spirits communication that blurred the line between brand extension and surrogate advertising.
• An influencer collaboration where disclosure was absent and the claims lacked substantiation
• A real estate campaign where project claims fell short of evidence

What stood out across all three wasn’t just the category but the role of clarity, context and evidence in how advertising is interpreted.

Watch the April roundup for a quick look at what was examined, what was observed and how the decisions were reached.

The way food is marketed today is being redefined by influencers, platforms and algorithms, bringing regulation into sha...
15/05/2026

The way food is marketed today is being redefined by influencers, platforms and algorithms, bringing regulation into sharper focus.

ASCI, in collaboration with the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), brings together legal, regulatory, and industry experts for a deep dive into
‘Clicks, Claims, and Calories: Food Advertising in a Digital-First India’.

From navigating HFSS (high in fat, sugar and salt) claims and disclosure requirements to understanding platform accountability and regulatory overlap, this session will decode what responsible food advertising looks like in a digital-first world.

Panelists:
• Suchana Mukherjee – General Counsel, Danone India
• Dr. Saheli Sinha – Director Operations, ASCI
• Dr Sesikeran Boindala - MD, FAMS, former Director ICMR. National Institute of Nutrition
Moderator:
• Sudhanshu Kumar – Associate Professor, National Law School of India University, Bengaluru

📅 22 May 2026
⏰ 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM
💻 Zoom Webinar

This is an invite-only webinar. If you are interested in attending, please write to [email protected].

14/05/2026

Priyam Ghosh, Assistant Professor at NMIMS Bangalore, points out that authenticity is what shapes consumer trust today. When a brand’s tone, claims and intent stay consistent, belief follows, and when they don’t, audiences spot the cracks instantly.

In a scroll-driven world, responsibility isn’t a one-off effort. It’s the everyday discipline of what brands say and stand by. This principle is particularly important when addressing gen Alpha.

Read and download the ASCI x Futurebrands Consulting 'What the Sigma?' report to understand how Gen Alpha consumes and interacts with advertising:https://www.ascionline.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/What-The-Sigma-Report.pdf

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), along with the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), is ho...
12/05/2026

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), along with the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), is hosting a member-exclusive webinar on ‘Clicks, Claims, and Calories: Food Advertising in a Digital-First India’.

As food marketing rapidly shifts to influencer-led and platform-driven ecosystems, the lines between content, commerce and compliance are becoming increasingly blurred. From HFSS (high in fat, sugar and salt) foods and health claims to algorithmic targeting and disclosure norms, the regulatory landscape is evolving and so are the risks.

Join us to explore the emerging challenges around platform accountability, influencer responsibility, and regulatory overlap, and understand what it means for brands navigating today’s digital food economy.

📅 Friday, 22 May, 2026
⏰ 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM

This is an invite-only webinar. If you are interested in attending, please write to [email protected].

Deepfakes. Synthetic influencers. AI-generated visuals.They're already showing up in advertising — often without disclos...
12/05/2026

Deepfakes. Synthetic influencers. AI-generated visuals.

They're already showing up in advertising — often without disclosure. And consumers can't always tell. To address this, ASCI has released draft guidelines for the responsible labelling of AI-generated content in advertising, which are now open for public consultation.

The case for clear rules:

• AI content directly influences how people perceive and choose products

• Undisclosed AI use can create false beliefs about endorsements and claims

• Brands need a shared standard to maintain trust and stay compliant

If you work in advertising, marketing, media, or tech — this affects you. The draft is open for your input.

Read the draft guidelines here:https://www.ascionline.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/asci-ai-labelling-guidelines.pdf

Send us your suggestions: [email protected] by 13th June 2026.

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), along with the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), is ho...
08/05/2026

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), along with the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), is hosting a member-exclusive webinar on ‘Influencer Marketing, Digital Food Platforms and Disclosure Norms in India’.

As food marketing rapidly shifts to influencer-led and platform-driven ecosystems, the lines between content, commerce and compliance are becoming increasingly blurred. From HFSS (high in fat, sugar and salt) foods and health claims to algorithmic targeting and disclosure norms, the regulatory landscape is evolving and so are the risks.

Join us to explore the emerging challenges around platform accountability, influencer responsibility, and regulatory overlap, and understand what it means for brands navigating today’s digital food economy.

📅 Friday, 22 May, 2026
⏰ 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM

This is an invite-only webinar. If you are interested in attending, please write to [email protected].

08/05/2026

When advertising blends into what kids love, it doesn’t feel like advertising at all.

As Tarini Bandhu, AVP – Brand Strategy, Futurebrands Consulting, points out, when brands show up within passion-led content, whether through influencer storytelling or in-game integrations, children often don’t recognise it as commercial messaging. It simply becomes part of the experience.

In these blurred environments, responsibility becomes critical. If ads aren’t identified as ads, transparency isn’t just important: it’s essential.

Read and download the ASCI x Futurebrands Consulting ‘What the Sigma?’ report to understand how Gen Alpha is reshaping advertising:https://www.ascionline.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/What-The-Sigma-Report.pdf

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