The Rights of the Consumer…Respected by Industry …Observed by Advertising Practitioners the World over- through Self-Regulation in Advertising.

“It is the recognition of the advertising industry (i.e. advertisers, agencies and the media) that advertising should be legal, decent, honest and truthful, with a sense of social responsibility to the consumer and society as a whole, and with due respect to the rules of fair competition.   This is achieved through the establishment of a set of rules and principles of best practice which the advertising industry voluntarily agrees to conform with.

The aim is to keep advertising standards high and ensure consumer trust ...…. to the benefit to all. Self-Regulation works best when framework legislation sets and enforces the boundaries of what is unlawful. Likewise, the law operates to best effect when it tackles issues of broad principle. Advertising is often detailed and subjective in its claims and interpretation. Controls imposed upon it must be equally flexible…. Self-Regulation Organisations deal with a volume of work each year that, if disputed in court, would be both prohibitively expensive and unacceptably slow to resolve. The law and self-regulation working independently but in harmony, provide the swiftest and most comprehensive protection for consumers”- WFA Global Survey of SROs.

“Most of the Self-Regulation Organisations around the world base their work on the Codes prepared and published by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). (The ASCI in India is no exception).  The ICC is the world business organization, the only representative body that speaks with authority on behalf of enterprises from all sectors in every part of the world.

The ASCI in India is 18 years Young, yet with the Spirit of Youth, IT makes available the benefit of Self-Regulation in Advertising in India to all Practitioners in Advertising, at no charge to them, thanks to the 235 plus members (firms) who maintain its Services through their Annual contributions and more importantly with the positive responses of Compliance with the Objective and Fair decisions of their autonomous Consumer Complaints Council (CCC), on complaints (against Advertisements) which have been processed at their Secretariat. Since 1986, 1335 complaints were Upheld, the CCC having deliberated and decided that these Ads contravened the ASCI Code, being Unfair to Consumers or to Competitors. Thanks to Voluntary Self-Regulation, at least 79% of these Ads were withdrawn, concluded or modified appropriately so as to avoid contravention of the Code and thereby respecting the Rights of Consumers and Competitors.  Almost 50% of these Advertisers were Not member of the ASCI (Mission –“endeavours to achieve compliance with its decisions through reasoned persuasion and the power of public opinion”).

(See attached report for the period October to December 2005).

The UN Guidelines for Consumer Protection, reiterates the Consumer’s Right to Information which would enable the choice to make the most appropriate Buying Decision. The ASCI Code bears testimony to the Interests Safety and Protection of all Consumers (attached herewith). Please visit us www.ascionline.org  for pertinent references on the ASCI and our Role and Responsibility for Self-Regulation in Advertising in India; For elaboration we are available  on (022) 23521066 and  asci@vsnl.com