Adverts to be toned down

THE Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) issued new guidelines this week stating advertisements should not portray discrimination based on skin colour, as did cosmetics companies marketing fairness creams.

These ads should not reinforce negative social stereotyping on the basis of skin colour, the ASCI said.

“Specifically, advertising should not directly or implicitly show people with darker skin, in a way which is widely seen as unattractive, unhappy, depressed or concerned,” the watchdog added.

The council’s guidelines further state that these ads should not portray people with darker skin in a way which is widely seen as a disadvantage of any kind, or inferior, or unsuccessful in any aspect of life, particularly in relation to being attractive to the opposite sex, matrimony, job placement, promotions and other prospects.

In the pre-usage depiction of the product, special care should be taken to ensure that the expression of the models in the real and graphical representation should not be negative in a way which is widely seen as unattractive, unhappy, depressed or concerned, the guidelines point out.

The council norms say that advertising should not associate darker or lighter colour skin with any particular socio-economic strata, caste, community, religion, profession or ethnicity.

Advertising should not perpetuate gender-based discrimination because of skin colour.

Council chairman Partha Rakshit said: “Setting up these new guidelines for the skin lightening and fairness products will help advertisers comply with the code that states advertisements should not deride any race, caste, colour, creed or nationality.

“Given how widespread the advertising for fairness and skin lightening products is and the concerns of different stakeholders in society, the council saw a need to set up specific guidelines for this product category,” he said. – Daily Mail