Ads that mock people on the basis of gender identity, body shape or mental illness will now be considered a violation of the advertising code prescribed by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI). This comes after the industry’s self-regulatory body decided to update its advertising code to address some of these emerging issues.
The ASCI code has provisions that advertising depictions may not be mocked on the basis of race, caste, creed, gender, or nationality. However, the ASCI board recently approved changes to the code to ensure that new areas of potential discrimination or mockery are also addressed to add greater inclusivity in advertising depictions.
The revised clause states: “No advertisement that mocks any individual or group on the basis of race, caste, color, religion, gender, body shape, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental condition, or nationality”.
Manisha Kapoor, Executive Director and General Secretary of ASCI, said: “We have seen consumers advertise ads that make fun of or ridicule people, or portray them unfavorably. And it is fair that advertising becomes more inclusive and sensitive to this. It is not acceptable, for example, to associate characteristics such as slowness with a certain body shape. Similarly, making fun of someone with a physical or mental ailment or her gender identity would now violate the ASCI code.”
Kapoor said that as a “forward-looking” organization, ASCI will ensure that its guidelines keep pace with the ever-evolving society. “As consumers become increasingly concerned about unfavorable portrayals of certain sectors of society, this change ensures that advertising also keeps up with these legitimate expectations,” he added.
Published in
May 25, 2022
