Chennai: Advertising regulator, Advertising Standards Commission (ASCI), relaxes its health and financial influencers’ norms when advertising is essentially universal. Appropriate qualifications are only available when providing technical information and advice.
Earlier, all influential individuals provided advice, promotion or comment on aspects related to the BFSI field related to commercial goods and services, as well as health and nutrition, and must have the necessary qualifications and certificates to provide consumers with such information and advice.
However, ASCI has updated its guidance to distinguish between the technological aspects of general promotions and products and services, which consumers may interpret as expert advice. Now, influencers need to be eligible and declare such qualifications only if technical information and advice are provided.
If the advertisement is of a universal nature or in the form of public service information, there is no need for an insurer to use an influential company to talk about the need for annual health checks or the need for healthy food companies bundled with chefs or food bloggers to promote catering services.
