The Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has located over 140 classified ads which are deceptive, based on an exaggeration of merchandise performance and exploitation of consumers’ lack of knowledge. The classified ads cover Parle Products Pvt. Ltd (Parle Magix Biscuit), Gujarat Co-Operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd (Amul Memory Milk-Tropical Fruit), the ‘True Roots Botanical Hair Tonic.’

The advertisement of Parle Products Pvt. Ltd (Parle Magix Biscuit) indicates a child dressed within the police uniform pulling the cause and firing a bullet (thru an audio cue) at the shopkeeper, saying in an indignant tone, “Koi Bhi cream biscuit Magix ki jagah chip age.” The humorous TVC, though not objectionable, manifests a risky practice, exploits the vulnerability of minors, and extra importantly, encourages minors to emulate the modus operandi of any crime.

“The commercial’s claims through Gujarat Co-Operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd (Amul Memory Milk-Tropical Fruit) that ‘Milk with the goodness of Ayurveda’ and ‘Contains numerous Ayurvedic herbs which can be traditionally recognized to enhance reminiscence,’ were no longer substantiated as the advertiser did not provide facts of any medical intent or posted literature references to support the claimed benefits. The claims are misleading through exaggeration.

In the ‘True Roots Botanical Hair Tonic’ commercial, superstar Radhika Apte changed into featured endorsing the product with claims like “Stop new grey hair,” “Jo any saved Balon ka aana roke, jab se,” “True roots like a hundred % herbal extracts balance jadonme jakar melanin bad aye. 90 days regularly take again take saved Balon ka arena band ho Jaye”, “Safed ballon ka jaldi aana jab se rookie, with TRUE ROOTS.”

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“No New Greys in 90 days, do away with premature gray hairs from the basis”. “These claims had been not thoroughly substantiated. The product may additionally reason darkening of gray hair via virtue of Kesh Ranjak substances the claims are misleading through ambiguity and implication. The advertisements violated the ASCI Guidelines for Celebrities in advertising,” the ASCI stated. The ASCI stated that the majority of the flagged commercials had been upheld for “exaggeration of product efficacy and exploiting purchasers’ lack of information.” This became followed by way of violation of the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act (DMR Act).

Upholding the grievance on Vivo Mobile India Pvt, the ASCI stated that the commercials declare, “Dual Rear Camera with Dual Pixel Technology,” changed into no longer substantiated and misleading by using exaggeration. The advertiser did not provide any technical statistics or test reviews for the Vivo V11 Pro having the feature of a twin rear digital camera with proper image first-class.

The ASCI stated that the advertisement (in Hindi) through Lord Dhanvantari Ayurvedic hospital, claiming therapy of knee pain and joint ache by displaying comparable testimonials and equal X-ray reviews for two separate man or woman sufferers and claiming progress on the first day of remedy, and treatment after 3 and 6 months. These claims have been not substantiated with helping clinical proof and are misleading with gross exaggeration and take advantage of purchasers’ lack of knowledge and are probably to grave significant disappointment in customers’ minds.

For the food & drinks (F&B) sector, the ASCI observed more than one famous brand regarding ayurvedic or natural ingredients recognized for their memory improving residences, but the related claims were not substantiated. “The commercial’s using One97 Communications Ltd. (PayTM claim on their internet site that “`50,000 redeemable on purchase of diamond treasured jewelry with diamond jewelry voucher well worth `50,000″ became misleading via omission of additional terms and conditions of cashback offer. The internet site commercial is probable to lead to grave or massive disappointment in the minds of clients,” it said.

Another commercial’s claims, “CAT 2019 and 2018 Toppers” and “Maximum 99+ Percentiles in Lucknow are from CaTaPult” with photographs of students, and their secured percentile was now not substantiated with assisting proof. The declare (in Hindi), ‘IIM Jaana hai to CATaPult aana hai’ and ‘Sure shot access into IIMs.’

(If you want to go to IIM, you then must come to CATapult), are misleading with the aid of exaggeration and are likely to cause grave or extensive disappointment in purchasers’ minds. Of these one hundred forty-five advertisements, eighty-three belonged to the healthcare area, 33 to the education zone, ten to the food & liquids region, one to non-public care, and 18 had been from the ‘others’ class. A huge variety of these classified ads had been virtual, i.E, advertisers’ personal websites sporting objectionable claims and visuals.