Goafest 2011: ASCI launches Ambassador Programme to boost Self-Regulation

India Inc big-wigs enrol as founder members of the Programme to commit support to Advertising with a Conscience

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Delhi | April 8, 2011

On the third day of Goafest 2011, The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) announced the launch of its Ambassador programme as an important milestone to add new impetus for its object to promote self-regulation of creativity in Indian advertising. This Ambassador programme is a unique initiative that aims to use peer networking to enrol more support from the Indian advertising and marketing fraternity and remain committed to ASCI's mission. This Ambassador programme is a platform of engagement to build momentum for ASCI's objective of self-regulation in advertising through the support of Industry leaders through percolation of responsibility by leveraging peer networking to educate the fraternity on the need to be responsible while being creative.

Commenting on the launch of its Ambassador programme, Alan Collaco, Secretary General, ASCI said, “The new Ambassador programme has been designed as a unique engagement initiative to provide added impetus to ASCI's objective of promoting self-regulation of advertising in India. In the recent past, ASCI launched three key Self-Regulation Guidelines regarding advertising in Food, Auto and Educational sectors. These guidelines have gained wide acceptance as the right direction towards promoting self-regulation of advertising in these sectors. The ASCI Ambassador programme aims to take the ASCI mission a step further by using mentor influence to generate support amongst advertising and marketing professionals at all levels in promoting the cause of advertising with a conscience.”

Like any field, the advertising industry also has its own heroes. The Ambassador programme aims to create the 'responsible tribe' by getting industry stalwarts from advertising and marketing field to take a pledge of creating responsible advertising and then inspire the rest to follow through a social media ripple effect created to reach across all levels of hierarchy. The initial ambassadors will invite their second in line to join the Ambassador programme who in turn will recruit their next in line into this programme.

ASCI launched its Ambassador Programme with its Founder Ambassadors taking the ASCI pledge at the Advertising Conclave at Goa Fest 2011.  The Founder Ambassadors who took this pledge included key icons of Advertising, Marketing, Media & Corporate India like Rajiv Dube, Chairman – ASCI & Director – Aditya Birla Management Corporation; Sam Balsara, Chairman – Madison World; Lynn de Souza, Chairman & CEO – Lintas Media Group; Benoy Roychowdhury, Director – HT Media Ltd; Bhaskar Das, President – Benett Coleman & Co; I Venkat, Director – Eenadu; Subhash Kamath, Managing Partner – BBH; Arvind Sharma, Chairman – Leo Burnett; Srinivasan K Swamy, Chairman & Managing Director – RK Swamy BBDO; Bobby Pawar, Chief Creative Officer - Mudra Group amongst others committing their support to promoting self-regulation of advertising in India.

At Goa Fest 2011, ASCI also unveiled its new brand theme 'Advertising with a Conscience' to reiterate the need and highlight the significance of self-regulation of advertising in the Indian context.

ASCI's new brand theme amplifies the need to ensure truthfulness and honesty of creative representations and claims made through advertising and restates the right of the consumer to be safeguarded against misleading advertising claims. This new brand position of ASCI encompasses the need to ensure that brand & product Advertising campaigns are not offensive to generally accepted norms and standards of public decency as well as ensuring that these advertising campaigns do not indiscriminately promote any products or services which are regarded as hazardous to society or individual, while ensuring that these campaigns observe fairness in competition and respect the canons of generally accepted competitive behaviour.

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