Apple iPhone XS advertisement promising consumers extremely sharp and beautiful quality photos while being ambiguous about requirement of additional hardware and software has been found misleading by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI). So is the case with the ‘biggest gaming app’ endorsed by Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli, which was not substantiated with any verifiable comparative data.
The ASCI noted that Apple iPhone XS advertisement was misleading by ambiguity and implication as the ad featuring beautiful shots of the environment — animals, insects, plants and landscapes — would lead consumer to believe that the image quality would be feasible on the iPhone alone, whereas in reality, the result would not be achievable without making additional purchases.
In case of the gaming app the ASCI said the advertiser did not submit any comparative data of their gaming app versus their close competitors to conclusively prove their market leadership claim.” The claim is misleading by exaggeration,” it said.
“The ASCI also pointed out that Tata Global Beverages’ Tetley Green Tea’s print advertisement claiming ‘9/10 users prefer Tetley Green Tea for an active life’ was contrary to the video advertisement which used the word ‘recommend’ for the same.
“The users were not provided with samples of other brand products to enable them to have a preference; the words ‘prefer’ and ‘recommend’ are misleading by implication. The use of the word ‘Active Life’ misleads one to think that use of the product alone would be sufficient to achieve an ‘Active Life’.”
Of the 231 print and TV advertisements investigated by the ASCI, as many as 132 were found misleading and violating the norms.
Of these “misleading” advertisements, 69 belonged to the education sector, 41 to the healthcare section, two to personal care, four to food and beverage sector and 16 to other categories.
The ASCI said that the print and YouTube advertisement endorsed by actor Sanjay Dutt which claimed that ‘Kapila Pashu Aahar’ was organic was not substantiated with copies of product label, approval and composition details. It also termed Santoor Aloe Fresh Soap’s print advertisement claim of lemon removing stickiness which helps to remain fresh and young as misleading by implication.
The monitoring body said that TRZ footwear advertisement with celebrity Manish Paul’s claim that it was ‘India’s no 1 kids footwear brand’ was not substantiated with any market share data of similar footwear brands to prove that it was in number one leadership position in that category or through a third party validation. It termed the claim as misleading by exaggeration.