The advertising industry watchdog Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has come up with a set of guidelines for celebrities endorsing products
Guidelines:
- Celebrities must exercise due diligence to make sure that all description claims and comparisons made in the advertisements that they endorse are not misleading and deceptive.
- It will be the duty of the advertiser and the advertising agency to make sure that celebrities are aware about the ASCI guidelines.
- ASCI have barred celebrities to endorse product/treatment/remedy that is prohibited under The Drugs & Magic Remedies Act (Objectionable Advertisements) and the Drugs & Cosmetic Act.
- Celebrities should not endorse those products which by law require a health warning on its packaging or advertisement.
- Celebrities seeking the advice of ASCI to ascertain whether the advertisement potentially violates any provision of the ASCI code or not would be considered of having completed due diligence.
- Also, the advertising advice of ASCI cannot be construed as pre-clearance for an advertisement.