To remain pertinent in today’s digital-first era, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) revamps its services by devising a technology platform intended to minimize the time for addressing complaints, particularly with influencer marketing and digital advertising.

For that matter, ASCI is investing heaps of cash into digitizing the entire process, while improving the speed, responsiveness, and agility of its complaint management system. Soon a technology platform is expected to be out in a couple of months.

According to Subhash Kamath, Chairman, ASCI, social media and digital advertising will grow in importance. He believes ASCI cannot limit itself to traditional media venues such as television and print.

“A lot of work is being done on social media, where ads may be pulled down in a matter of hours. We must also be flexible in our monitoring method. The barriers between advertising and content are likewise dissolving in the digital world. As a result, we need to figure out how to keep track of these changes”, explains Kamath.

The regulator stated that archives of judgments or case studies will be uploaded on this platform for members to access, as it expands its function beyond that of a watchdog and become a thought leader to assist the industry in navigating the newer regulations and norms that are being implemented.

Currently, it’s working on a study called GenderNext, which examines gender depiction in advertising and intends to provide advertisers with fresh starting points for more progressive gender portrayals.

Additionally, the commission is redesigning its Advertising Advisory service to assist marketers during the pre-production stage. This is in hopes to help create more responsible advertising.

According to K.V. Sridhar, chief creative officer (global), Nihilent Ltd, who designed the new logo, which symbolizes the dynamic nature of media platforms and the fresh and exciting methods in which communication is being made and consumed today. He believes that the elegant and inclusive typeface indicates an organization's opening up to new types of stakeholders.

The three new features of ASCI's future efforts, in addition to its time-tested and rigorous complaint management system and process, are:

Providing services to advertisers to help them get it right:
With its GenderNext study, it provides advice services and research-based insight studies.
ASCI is also revamping its Advertising Advisory service, which will provide assistance to advertisers throughout the pre-production stage. This approach will give the advertising ecosystem the required thought leadership, provocations, and assistance to generate more responsible advertising.

Getting ready for the digital age: How advertisements are developed and consumed is being determined by the convergence of marketing and information technology. ASCI is focusing on updating its principles and procedures to keep consumers safe in the digital age.

Technology deployment: Using technology tools, machine learning, and AI systems to track and measure advertising material will be an important aspect of ASCI in the future.
Technology will enable ASCI to be more watchful and real-time in its monitoring of the massive influx of advertising content. The use of technology in ASCI's complaint management system will also make it easier for consumers, industry, and other stakeholders to connect with the organisation.

“When we receive a complaint as part of the new complaint management system, the system will determine whether it is a duplicate complaint. As the number of complaints rises, we'll need to beef up our IT infrastructure and make strategic hires with individuals who are also skilled in digital media”, says Manisha Kapoor, Secretary General, ASCI.

“This will make the process of filing complaints, receiving a response from the complaint redress system, and uploading documents for claim substantiation by advertisers easier.
These will be converted to digital format. It would be a user-friendly and participatory platform”, according to Kamath.