By Himanshu Arora
There is always a thin line between persuasion and misleading consumers. In today’s ultra-competitive space, for any brand, advertising and marketing is becoming a point of difference and at times, we have seen brands crossing the line and then getting themselves into trouble.
A recent complaint by The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) against Flipkart and Amitabh Bachchan underscores the importance of responsible advertising practices in the modern marketplace. Misleading advertising, a longstanding issue, takes various forms such as false claims, exaggerated benefits, and omission of crucial information. It is, to a great extent, a brand’s responsibility to uphold integrity and transparency in their advertising endeavours.
Regarding CAIT, there have been several instances where brands, including Amazon, faced the association’s ire. These instances, however, were linked to India’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) regulations in the e-commerce sector. CAIT has been active whistle blowers for some new-age business models or startups, some of them in the pharmacy and online gaming sectors.
A few months back, CAIT issued a show cause notice to about 20 pharmacies and asked for strict actions against e-commerce platforms selling medicine without the required licenses and approvals. It boils down to a classic power struggle between offline and online retail and buying behaviour. Ethical advertising stands as a crucial aspect within the broader landscape of this conflict.
Governments have been collaborating with regulatory bodies to establish a framework designed to address such issues. However, there is still a considerable distance to cover before concrete action points can drive the industry forward. While the CAIT complaint raises pertinent questions, instances of misleading advertising have surfaced on both national and international stages.
For instance, Subway faced scrutiny when they claimed their “Footlong” sandwich fell short of the promised 12 inches. The tobacco and liquor industries have grappled with this issue for a considerable period, with some countries already taking legal measures.
Closer home, we find examples such as Patanjali’s claims of being “100 percent natural” or making health-related assertions. Interestingly, Sensodyne found a workaround by featuring actual doctors who were not Indian citizens, as Indian doctors are restricted from advertising.
There have been multiple instances concerning Fair & Lovely, prompting recent communication adjustments to be more inclusive and address a wider audience while avoiding perpetuating stereotypes.
In an age where the lines between truth and persuasion can blur, responsible advertising has never been more critical. While governments and regulatory bodies work toward establishing robust frameworks, it’s clear that the journey to ethical advertising practices is ongoing. In the global and Indian contexts alike, examples of misleading advertising underscore the necessity for brands to heed this call and ensure that their messaging resonates with consumers without veering into deception. In the end, an advertising landscape built on trust and transparency benefits not only brands but, most importantly, the consumers they seek to serve.
Himanshu Arora is the co-founder of Social Panga.