ASCI Update: Complaints against 242 out of 305 ads upheld in February 2017

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), a self-regulatory body that propagates responsible advertising, has released a report of the complaints it received and upheld in the month of February 2017. The ASCI's Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) received complaints against 305 ads; complaints against 242 ads were upheld.

Of these, 165 ads were from the healthcare category, followed by 31 ads from education category; 19 ads were from the food and beverages category, nine from the personal care category, and 18 ads were upheld in the others category.

Complaints against brands which were upheld in the healthcare segment for false, misleading, and unsubstantiated claims, and hence, violated the ASCI's code include Rudralife (Rudrakash Therapy), Slim-N-Health, Ayurwin Pharmaceutical (Ayurwin Nutri Slim+ Powder), Ayurwin Pharma (Nutrislim Plus Range of Products - Powder & Capsules), Guduchi The Ayurvedism (Obesidat), Adila Biotech (Asth Prash), Sri Ram Clinic, Janta Clinic, Shivansh Ayurveda (Shivansh Ayrveda Range of Products), Bengali Dawakhana, Naturo Clinic, Balaji Ayurved Sansthan (Breast Care Range of Products), Vijaya Ayurvedic Pharma (Vijaya Ayurvedic Pharma Tabletx), The Ano-Rectal Clinic, Koya Range of Products, Dolphin Labs (Anaconda Range of Products), Izda Healthcare (Six Foot Range of Products), Izda Healthcare (Depforce), Maghil Homeo Clinic, Dwl (Yonsuk Gold Capsules), Care & Cure Herbals (Shots Range of Products), Agrawal Fertility & Test Tube Baby Centre, Hashmi Herbal (Sikandar-E-Azam Capsules), Saaol Heart Centre, Ruchi Herbals (Long Drive Range Of Products), Tirupati Pharmacy (Jeevan Shakti Capsule), Shilajit Musli Prash Kit, Dr Sagar Ayurveda, Soliel Intl (BT-36 Range of Products), Shree Baidyanath Ayur Bhawan (Baidyanath Vita Ex Gold Plus), Dr Bharti Holistic Health Hospital, Jagat Pharma (Isotine Ayurvedic Eye Drops), Vaso Meditech (Heal Your Heart), Nanal Ayurveda Consultancy (Vaidya Nanals Range of Products), Hamdard Laboratories (India) (Hamdard Jigreen), Amrutanjan Health Care Ltd. (Amrutanjan Relief Cough Syrup), Spar Detox Clinic and Medi Facial, Trophic Wellness Pvt. Ltd (Nutricharge Products), Sri Varma Ayurvedic Hospital, Shifa Health Care Clinic, Dindayal Aushadhi (303 Capsules), Chaturbhuj Pharma Company (Japani Capsule Range M & F), (Japani Oil), and (Right Sugar Tablet), Rajnish Hot Deals (Play Win Capsule), Shree Maruti Herbal (Stay-On Oral Liquid), (Stay-On Range Of Products), (Stay On Power Capsule), (Stay-On Power Oil) and (Stay on Power Capsule).

The other brands which were upheld in the healthcare segment include S2Slim Care, Delhi IVF And Fertility Research Centre, Blizz Biosculpting, Vibes Healthcare Limited (Vibes Centre), Viva Live the Life, Butterfly Ayurveda (Pancreofly Blood glucose Metabolizer), Herbal Icon India Company (Sora GM Kit), Zee Laboratories (Zeegold Capsules), Jolly Healthcare (Fat Go Slimming Capsules, Powder and Oil), Jolly Pharma (Jolly Sunsex Gold Range of Products), Tulsi Health Care (True Ayurveda Hair Oil), Dhanvantri Clinic (Dhanvantri Ayurvedic), K S Varier's Ashtanga Ayurvedics (Ashtanga Leno Drink), Nu Ayurveda Clinic, Balaji Ayurved Sansthan (Breast Care Range of Products), Kims Healthcare Mgmt (Kims Weight Management Clinic), New Model Clinic, Shubham Homeo Clinic, Amina Clinic, Ram Swarna Clinic, Jeevan Pharmacy, Meeta Ayurveda, Gautam Clinic, Repl India (Hypower Musli Capsule), Balaji Ayurved Sansthan (ArshHar Range of Products), Dr Lama Modern Health Clinic, Marmasutram Siddha Vaidhyasala, Ayurveda Clinic, Meghdoot Gramudyog (Meghdoot Madhu Shoonya Churan), Khushi Ayurveda (Khushi Ayurveda Range of Products), Deep Health Care Products (Vigora-M Capsule), Sanjivani Piles Clinic, Oorja Ayurvedic Clinic (Oorja Ayurvedic Clinic), Palas Pharmaceuticals (Zhakkas Tablets), Chennai Hospitals Info Centre, Samson Slim Care, Dr Bhagats Obesity Hospital, Roy Clinic, Ibm Hospital & Trauma Centre, Lodha Hospital, Mallur Flora (Miracle Drinks), Raj Dawakhana, Raheem Unani Clinic, Yash Mens Centre, Nurture Health Care (Ayurex-Ndx) and (Ayurex-S Range of Products), Noor Hospital, Shree Kalyan Ayurvedashram, Liver & Gastro Care, Clean Stone, Gehm Clinic & Research Center (Gehm Frez Tablets), Old Polio Hospital, Badshahi Dawakhana, Dr A K Jain Clinic and Vibes Healthcare (Vibes).

More brands which were upheld in the healthcare segment include, DLC Smile Deaddiction and Rehabilitation Center, A Plus Medi Art, Cenozoic Remedies (B Gap Contraceptive Tablets), Kolors Health Care India (Kolors Slimming and Beauty), SBS Biotech Unit-II (Dr Ortho Range Of Products), Shrinivas (Gujarat) Laboratories (Shrinivas Tulsi Panchamrit), Nila Pharmaceuticals (Arsamukthi), Francis Vaidyans Ayurveda Vaidyasala (Mehyog), Dr N Sudhir Holistic Clinic, Shivansh Ayurveda (Shivansh Ayurveda Range of Products), Ruchi Herbals (Long Dive Range of Products), Shubham Homeo Clinic, Naaz India Company (Naaz Churna), S D Industries (Zosh Ayurvedic Oil and Capsules), Deevya Ayurveda and Panchkarma Centre, Osho Medicare, German Homeo Gastro Liver Hospital, Maa Homeo Chikitsha Kendra, Astha Skin Care (Astha Clinic), Health Buffet, Arabindo Sch of Perf Eye Sight, Shanshah-E-Azam Capsule, Shubham Homeo Clinic, Vaishnavi Charitable Trust, Rana Dispensary, Phyto X-Tra Power (Herbal Land), Sarpal Homeohall (Dr. Puneet Sarpal Homeopath), BK Stone & Urology Clinic, Dr Guptas Clinic, Heart & Health Care (Dr Dhillons Clinic), The Ano-Rectal Clinic, Meghdoot Gramudyog (Meghdoot Gram Range of Products), Shree Hari Clinic, Khandelwal Accupresure Health Care System, Sardar Ji Skin Cure, Sriji Ayurved Shakti, Sivaraj Siddha Vaithiyasalai, Dr Batras Positive Heath Clinic (Dr Batras Homeopathic Clinic), RJR Hospitals, SBL (Sbl Diaboherb Oral Liquid), Speedwell Botanical (Perfect Slim), H.L. Slimming Point (H.L. Slimming Point), Dr. Kartik's Slimming Clinic, Hair Doc Trichology Expert (Hair Doc Trichology Hair Clinic) and Nanal Ayurveda Consultancy (Vaidya Nanals Range of Products).

Education brands pulled up for violating ASCI guidelines for Advertising of Educational Institutions were Centre for Ambition (Pre B4 Pre- Centre for Ambition and Amar Ujala), Bhanwar Rathore Design Studio, Prakshal Infotect (Prakshal IT Academy), IIT-ian's PACE Education (IIT-ians PACE), Bank Edge and Bennett Coleman (TimesPro).

Complaints against advertisements of all educational institutes listed below mostly were upheld because of unsubstantiated claims that they 'provide 100 per cent placement/AND/OR they claim to be the No.1 in their respective fields':

Karthik Institute of Police Coaching, MSME Development Centre (Process and Product Development Centre), Gurukul Education Centre, Embicon Tech Hub, Dheya IAS, Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Charitable and Education Trust (Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Engineering College), Expert Education and Charitable Foundation, Nikhileshwar Institute of Banking & Management (NIBM PO Maker), The Surajmal Agarwal Laxmidevi Sawarthia Educational Trust (Surajmal Agarwal College of Paramedical and Health Sciences), Delpiero School of Management (DSM), Precept Studio Design, Media3 International Pvt. Ltd., Montura Institute of Visual Effect, Aptech Limited (Arena Animation Academy), Ratnam Coaching Centre, R.R. Polytechnic, Matsya IAS Academy, Shyam Institute, Anupam Career & Research Institute, Eyecon Design (Eyecon Animation Academy), Subhas Bose Institute of Hotel Management, Laxmi Film Laboratory & Studio (Laxmi Film & TV Acting Academy), Engineer's Circle, Wave Global Educational Services Pvt Ltd (WAVE) and Sri Rajiv Gandhi Polytechnic College.

VLCC Health Care (Cool sculpting), The Himalaya Drug Company (Himalaya Tan Removal Orange Peel off Mask), Ronak Group of Companies (L'ACTION Range of Products), Leeford Healthcare (Meglow Premium Fairness Cream), Emami (Zandu Vigorex), Hindustan Unilever (Ponds Men Energy Charge Icy Gel Face Wash) and (Ponds Age Miracle Firm & Lift) and Neha Herbals (Neha Herbal Colour Cream) were the brands that were pulled up from the Personal Care category for violating ASCI guidelines.

In addition, Hindustan Unilever's Fair and Lovely BB Cream was upheld as advertisement in violation of guidelines for fairness improvement products.

The food and beverage brands that have come under the ASCI scanner for violation of advertising guidelines include Shukla Dairy (Shree Gokulam Products-Dahi), Torneto Foods International (Macsy Pani Puri Wafers), Ankur Chemfood (Ankur Salt Range), Chaman Lal Setia (Maharani Diabetic Rice), Blue Brothers (Blue Brother's Sugar Free Rice), Elite Life Style Foods (Maagic Rice), Amir Chand Jagdish Kumar (Export) (Brown Aeroplane Basmati Rice), KRBL (India Gate Brown Rice), Ravi Kamal Flour Mill (Jiwa Diabetic Care Atta), Venkatesh Dal and Flour Mill (Santrupthi Diabetic Atta), Mother Dairy Fruit & Vegetable (Dhara Refined Vegetable Oil), G L Foods (G L Foods Range of Product), Dreamcann Foods (Whole Foods India) Whole Foods Special Glycaemic Atta, N B Group (Meenajee Mawa), AM P Pan Products (AM P Pan Products Pan Masala Range), Organic India (Organic Green Tea), Rootsberry Organics Range of Products (Rootsberry Organics) and Matsyafed (Chitone Anti-Fat Formula).

In addition, The Coca-Cola Company's ad was upheld as advertisement in violation of Chapter III of ASCI code.

Other brands which were pulled up for objectionable ads due to false and/or misleading claims include Future Lifestyle Fashions, (Urbana), Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL Corporate), Dish TV India (Dish TV), Bharti Airtel (Airtel), (Airtel International Roaming Pack) and (Airtel 4G Data), R.D. RETAILS (Flipkart) (Lois Caron LCS- 4162), Zee News (Zee Business), Times Network (ET Now), Royaloak India (Retro office table), Bennett Coleman & Co (Times of India), One MobiKwik Systems, Idea Cellular (Idea 4G), Aerobok Shoes (Aqualite), Jasper Infotech - Snapdeal (Samsung J2 Pro) and (Snapdeal), Amazon.com (Micromax 32T7260 HDI LED TV) and Nyayvijay Jyotish Vidhyatejak.