Multiple stakeholders come together to form ASCI Academy

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Multiple stakeholders come together to form ASCI Academy

Mumbai, August 28, 2023: The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) proudly  unveils the ASCI Academy, a pioneering initiative poised to amplify the advertising  industry’s capacity to create more responsible and progressive advertising campaigns.  Building upon ASCI’s established corrective role which comes alive post ad publication, this  pioneering platform embeds self-regulation right at the point of the inception of  advertisements. 

In today’s digital landscape, characterized by brief campaign durations and a surge in  number of advertisers, the ASCI Academy is positioned to empower current and future  industry professionals including influencers and students with a foundational  understanding of advertising regulations, ensuring ethical practices from the outset. 

The ASCI Academy’s core mission is to cultivate a cohort of advertising professionals  dedicated to upholding responsibility in advertising, ultimately upholding consumer trust  in brands. 

The academy strategically consolidates ASCI’s extensive thought leadership and  educational programs under one comprehensive umbrella. The academy’s spectrum of  programs caters to diverse needs, spanning online, in-person, and hybrid formats. From e learning modules to topical webinars, from deep-diving masterclasses on regulatory  nuances to enhancing teaching skills through faculty development programs, the  academy covers it all. Additionally, influencer certification programs ensure responsible  endorsement practices, while consumer education initiatives foster informed choices.  Through sustained training and research efforts, the ASCI Academy remains steadfast in its  commitment to engage stakeholders in the preventive aspects of self-regulation. The ASCI  Academy brings together stakeholders united by a shared belief in responsible advertising 

practices. The Academy has over 50 founding partners and supporters including Cipla  Health Limited, Coca-Cola India Private Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited, Diageo  India, Hindustan Unilever Limited, Mondelez India Foods Private Limited, Nestlé India  Limited, PepsiCo India Holdings Pvt Ltd., Procter & Gamble Home Products Private Limited,  several leading universities and colleges, prominent Civil society organizations such as Mumbai Grahak Panchayat, Consumer Voice, CUTS, CMS and others, and, industry bodies  like the ISA, AAAI, IAA and ISWAI, as well as research insight organizations. 

Shri Rohit Kumar Singh, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs said “I congratulate  ASCI on the launch of the ASCI Academy. In the digital age, preventive actions need strong  impetus and encouragement, and the training of industry professionals – current and  future is an important systemic intervention. The Department of Consumer Affairs is  supportive of such efforts by the advertising self-regulator to foster a culture of  responsibility in the advertising industry. We hope that the advertising industry engages  deeply with the Academy programs to make their teams better trained and educated on  the aspects of advertising regulations.” 

Shri Vikram Sahay, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, who is  part of the ASCI Academy’s Apex Council said, “Many congratulations to ASCI on the launch  of the ASCI Academy. The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has always supported  self-regulatory mechanisms in the media and entertainment industry. We hope that the  resources and support by the Academy would be extremely useful for the online  advertisers and platforms.” 

Addressing the opening of the academy, NS Rajan, Chairman, ASCI, said: “While ASCI has  always had a strong corrective mechanism, we also wanted to harmonise the dynamic  interplay between creativity and responsibility and address the broader consequences of  advertising on society at large. The ASCI Academy is a big step in this direction which will  facilitate a preventive footprint and shape an advertising ecosystem to help the industry  to get it right.”  

Manisha Kapoor, CEO and Secretary General, ASCI, added, “With short campaign  durations, it is important that attention is directed at the point of creation of ads, not just  after they are published. When the only ads to hit the market are responsible and  compliant, it is a win-win for both consumers and industry. Over the next three years ASCI  Academy aims to train 100,000 current and emerging professionals through self-learning  and on-campus workshops and sessions, besides programs for research and consumer  education. This is a new chapter in self-regulation in India, and we are grateful to all our  founding partners for supporting this vision. We hope to add several more believers in this  agenda- this is just the beginning”.