roll no 3 “advertising ethics and viewers perception towards surrogate advertisement”

7/30/2019 ROLL NO 3 ADVERTISING ETHICS AND VIEWERS PERCEPTION TOWARDS SURROGATE ADVERTISEMENT

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ADVERTISING ETHICS AND VIEWERS PERCEPTION TOWARDS SURROGATE ADVERTISEMENT

KISHINCHAND CHELLERAM COLLEGE 0

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In this project the meaning, benefits and ill effects of advertising

have been discussed and also the relationship of advertising with the

society has been elucidated. It is clear that advertisements have a

wide reach and mass impact in todays world, they affect everyone -

be it the young or old, poor or rich. Therefore the question of ethics in

advertising arises. Advertisers now must be aware of their

responsibility towards the society; they should be truthful and regard

the dignity of the human person. To ensure that all advertisements

are ethical, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) plays a

vital role. The main goal of ASCI is to maintain and enhance the

publics confidence in advertising. The Consumer Complaints Council

of the ASCI examines and investigates the grievances and

complaints received from the consumers and general public.

Although there are various organizations to ensure that

advertisements are ethical, the main responsibility lies with the

advertiser, to ensure that the advertisements do not hurt the

sentiments or corrupt the thoughts of anyone in the society. To

conclude it can be said that since advertising is a mass media, the

media must self-regulate and try not to hurt anybody in the society.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE NUMBER

Executive Summary 1

Preface 3

CHAPTER 1

1.1: Advertising and the Society

1.2: Introduction

1.3: Benefits of Advertising

3

3

5

7

CHAPTER 2

2.1: Ethics and their Requirement

2.2: Ill Effects of Advertising

2.3: Ethical Principles

11

11

11

16

CHAPTER 3

3.1: Ethical Codes

3.2: Advertising Standards Council

of India

3.3: Goals and Objectives

3.4: Role and Functioning

19

19

18

22

23

CHAPTER 4

4.1: Surrogate Advertising

4.2: Whats surrogate about

advertising?

4.3: Popular examples of Surrogate

Advertising & whats in store

4.4: Analysis of the Primary Data

4.5: Key Findings of the Study

24

24

27

31

34

47

Bibliography 48


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PREFACE

Since independence the Indian economy has been constantly

evolving. In the 1950s from a socialist economy with a few business

houses to an economy dictated by market forces with a highly

competitive business environment. However this change has not

taken place overnight, post independence Indian businesses followed

the production concept which involved producing as much as

possible as they knew that due to acute shortage whatever they

produce will get sold .This concept gave way to the product concept

in which firms only bothered to add more features to their product

without caring about their availability in the market. The product

concept was followed by the selling concept in which firms adopted

aggressive selling and promotional techniques to coax customers into

buying their product.

However the scenario changed dramatically in 1992 when India

adopted the New Economic Policy which was based on the pillars of

Liberalization, Globalization and Privatization .This led to the opening

up of the Indian Economy to the World Economy, Indian firms faced

tough competition both by foreign as well as Indian firms. As a result

of this the marketing concept gained prevalence ,according to this

concept firms identify the customer needs , the target market and aim

to deliver the desired satisfaction to customers better than its

competitors.

Advertising is one of the most important tools of marketing as it

involves informing the customers about the presence of the product in

the market, its features and its uses. At this time of heightened

competition firms may adopt unfair and unethical methods to promote


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their products and lure customers to buy their products. Also with

consumerism at its peak firms cannot get away with false and

misleading advertisements. Therefore at this juncture of time Ethics in

Advertising needs our unparalleled attention.

CHAPTER: 1

1.1: Advertising and the Society

What is advertising?

Advertising is the non personal communication of information

usually paid for and usually persuasive in nature about products,

services or ideas by identified sponsors through the various media. In

other words advertising is a form of communication that typically

attempts to persuade potential customers to purchase or to consume

more of a particularbrand ofproduct orservice.

Many advertisements are designed to generate increased

consumption of those products and services through the creation and

reinforcement of "brand image" and "brand loyalty". For these

purposes, advertisements sometimes embed their persuasive

message with factual information. Every major medium is used to

deliver these messages, including television, radio, cinema,

magazines, newspapers, video games, the Internet and billboards.

Advertising is often placed by an advertising agency on behalf of a

company or other organization.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communicationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Customershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purchasehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Producthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Servicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advertisementshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brand_imagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brand_loyaltyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Televisionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magazineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newspapershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_gameshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_advertisinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboardshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advertising_agencyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advertising_agencyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboardshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_advertisinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_gameshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newspapershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magazineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Televisionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brand_loyaltyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brand_imagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advertisementshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Servicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Producthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purchasehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Customershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communication


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Advertisements are seen on the seats ofshopping carts, on the

walls of an airport walkway, on the sides ofbuses, and are heard in

telephone hold messages and in-store public address systems.

Advertisements are often placed anywhere an audience can easily or

frequently access visual, audio and printed information.

1.2: Introduction

The importance of advertising is steadily on the increase in

modern society. Just as the media of social communication itself has

enormous influence everywhere, so advertising, using media as its

vehicle, is a pervasive, powerful force shaping attitudes and behavior

in todays world. Now, prompted by the increasing importance of

advertising attention should be given to positive contributions that

advertising can and does make; to note ethical and moral problems

that advertising can and does raise; to point to moral principles that

apply to this field; and, finally, to suggest certain steps for the

consideration of those professionally involved in advertising, as well

as for others in the private sector. In todays society, advertising has

a profound impact on how people understand life, the world and

themselves, especially in regard to their values and their ways of

choosing and behaving.

The field of advertising is extremely broad and diverse. In

general terms, of course, an advertisement is simply a public notice

meant to convey information and invite patronage or some other

response. As that suggests, advertising has two basic purposes: to

inform and to persuade, and while these purposes are

distinguishable both very often are simultaneously present.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shopping_carthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airporthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telephonehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_address_systemshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visualhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soundhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Printedhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Printedhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soundhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visualhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_address_systemshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telephonehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airporthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shopping_cart


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Advertising is not the same as marketing (the complex of commercial

functions involved in transferring goods from producers and

consumers) or public relations (the systematic effort to create a

favorable public impression or image of some person, group, or

entity). In many cases, though, it is a technique or instrument

employed by one or both of these. Advertising can be very simple

a local, even? Neighborhood, phenomenon or it can be very

complex, involving sophisticated research and multimedia campaigns

that span the globe. It differs according to its intended audience, so

that, for example, advertising aimed at children raises some technical

and moral issues significantly different from those raised by

advertising aimed at competent adults. Not only are many different

media and techniques employed in advertising; advertising itself is of

several different kinds: commercial advertising for products and

services; public service advertising on behalf of various institutions,

programs, and causes; and a phenomenon of growing importance

today political advertising in the interests of parties and

candidates. Making allowance for the differences among the different

kinds and methods of advertising, we intend what follows to be

applicable to them all.

It cannot be said that advertising simply mirrors the attitudes

and values of the surrounding culture. No doubt advertising, like the

media of social communications in general, does act as a mirror. But,

also like media in general, it is a mirror that helps shape the reality it

reflects, and sometimes it presents a distorted image of reality.

Advertisers are selective about the values and attitudes to be

fostered and encouraged, promoting some while ignoring others. This


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selectivity gives the lie to the notion that advertising does no more

than reflect the surrounding culture. For example, the absence from

advertising of certain racial and ethnic groups in some multi-racial or

multi-ethnic societies can help to create problems of image and

identity, especially among those neglected, and the almost inevitable

impression in commercial advertising that an abundance of

possessions leads to happiness and fulfillment can be both

misleading and frustrating. Advertising also has an indirect but

powerful impact on society through its influence on media. Many

publications and broadcasting operations depend on advertising

revenue for survival. This often is true of religious media as well as

commercial media. For their part, advertisers naturally seek to reach

audiences; and the media, striving to deliver audiences to

advertisers, must shape their content so to attract audiences of the

size and demographic composition sought. This economic

dependency of media and the power it confers upon advertisers

carries with it serious responsibilities for both.

1.3: Benefits of advertising

Enormous human and material resources are devoted to

advertising. Advertising is everywhere in todays world. No one now

can escape the influence of advertising. Even people who are not

themselves exposed to particular forms of advertising confront a

society, a culture other people affected for good or ill by advertising

messages and techniques of every sort.


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The benefits of advertising can briefly be stated as follows-

Benefits to Businesses

Meets Competition - In the increasingly competitive business

environment advertising helps businessmen to stay abreast

with competition.

Creates Sales - As advertising informs the public about the

presence of goods and persuades them to purchase them it

leads to creation of sales. Steady Demand - Since advertising leads to a steady demand

for goods as it persuades people to purchase the goods.

Creates Economies of Scale With the help of advertising

there is a reduction of dependence on middlemen which

significantly reduces the cost of distribution therefore production

increases and economies of scale can be achieved.

Builds Goodwill Advertising also leads to an increase in the

goodwill of a firm.

Benefits to Customers

Awareness Advertising leads to awareness about goods in

the market among the customers.

Convenience in Shopping As customers already know

about the features and prices of the products there is

convenience in shopping.


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Quality Products Firms must back their advertisements with

quality products if they are to be successful.

Satisfaction after purchasing the product when the customer

sees that the product contains all the features that were

advertised, there is a sense of satisfaction derived by the

customer.

Benefits to Society

Advertising creates employment opportunities for the society Advertising also sustains the press

Advertising also leads to Research and Development as there

is an incentive to progress

Cultural Benefits

Because of the impact advertising has on media that depend on

it for revenue, advertisers have an opportunity to exert a positive

influence on decisions about media content. This they do by

supporting material of excellent intellectual, aesthetic and moral

quality presented with the public interest in view, and particularly by

encouraging and making possible media presentations which are

oriented to minorities whose needs might otherwise go unserved.

Moreover, advertising can itself contribute to the betterment of society

by uplifting and inspiring people and motivating them to act in ways

that benefit themselves and others. Advertising can brighten lives


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simply by being witty, tasteful and entertaining. Some advertisements

are instances of popular art, with a vivacity and lan all their own.

Moral and Religious Benefits of Advertising

In many cases, too, benevolent social institutions, including

those of a religious nature, use advertising to communicate their

messages messages of faith, of patriotism, of tolerance,

compassion and neighborly service, of charity toward the needy,

messages concerning health and education, constructive and helpful

messages that educate and motivate people in a variety of beneficial

ways.

The 1st chapter has introduced the subject matter of advertising,

its benefits. No doubt advertising today affects everybodys life

young, old and infants. Therefore while advertising the advertisers

must bear in mind the ethical values linked with advertising, these

ethical values play a very vital role in our life. Therefore the ill effects

and the ethical values related to advertising is the subject matter of

my next chapter.


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Chapter: 2

2.1: Ethics and their Requirement

There is nothing intrinsically good or intrinsically evil about

advertising. It is a tool, an instrument: it can be used well, and it can

be used badly. If it can have, and sometimes does have, beneficial

results such as those described in the previous chapter, it also can,

and often does, have a negative, harmful impact on individuals and

society .It is important to know the negative impacts of advertising

before understanding the requirement of ethics in advertising.

The negative impacts of advertising are discussed below-

2.2: Economic Ill Effects of Advertising

Advertising can betray its role as a source of information by

misrepresentation and by withholding relevant facts. Sometimes, too,

the information function of media can be subverted by advertisers

pressure upon publications or programs not to treat of questions that

might prove embarrassing or inconvenient. More often, though,

advertising is used not simply to inform but to persuade and motivate,

to convince people to act in certain ways, buy certain products or

services, patronize certain institutions, and the like. This is where

particular abuses can occur. The practice of brand-related

advertising can raise serious problems. Often there are only

negligible differences among similar products of different brands, and

advertising may attempt to move people to act on the basis of

irrational motives (brand loyalty, status, fashion, sex appeal, etc.)


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instead of presenting differences in product quality and price as

bases for rational choice. Advertising also can be, and often is, a tool

of the phenomenon of consumerism.

Sometimes advertisers speak of it as part of their task to

create needs for products and services that is, to cause people to

feel and act upon cravings for items and services they do not need. If

... a direct appeal is made to the consumers instincts while ignoring

in various ways the reality of the person as intelligent and free then

consumer attitudes and life-styles can be created which are

objectively improper and often damaging to his/her physical and

spiritual health .This is a serious abuse, an affront to human dignity

and the common good when it occurs in affluent societies. But the

abuse is still more grave when consumerist attitudes and values are

transmitted by communications media and advertising to developing

countries, where they exacerbate socio-economic problems and harm

the poor. It is true that a judicious use of advertising can stimulate

developing countries to improve their standard of living. But serious

harm can be done to them if advertising and commercial pressure

become so irresponsible that communities seeking to rise from

poverty to a reasonable standard of living are persuaded to seek this

progress by satisfying wants that have been artificially created. The

result of this is that they waste their resources and neglect their real

needs, and genuine development falls behind.

Similarly, the task of countries attempting to develop types of

market economies that serve human needs and interests after

decades under centralized, state-controlled systems is made more

difficult by advertising that promotes consumerist attitudes and values


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offensive to human dignity and the common good. The problem is

particularly acute when, as often happens, the dignity and welfare of

societys poorer and weaker members are at stake. It is necessary

always to bear in mind that there are goods which by their very nature

cannot and must not be bought or sold and to avoid an idolatry of

the market that, aided and abetted by advertising, ignores this crucial

fact.

Cultural Ill Effects of Advertising

Advertising also can have a corrupting influence upon culture

and cultural values. We have spoken of the economic harm that can

be done to developing nations by advertising that fosters

consumerism and destructive patterns of consumption. Consider also

the cultural injury done to these nations and their peoples by

advertising whose content and methods, reflecting those prevalent in

the first world, are at war with sound traditional values in indigenous

cultures. Today this kind of domination and manipulation v ia media

rightly is a concern of developing nations in relation to developed

ones as well as a concern of minorities within particular nations.

The indirect but powerful influence exerted by advertising upon

the media of social communications that depend on revenues from

this source points to another sort of cultural concern. In the

competition to attract ever larger audiences and deliver them to

advertisers, communicators can find themselves tempted in fact

pressured, subtly or not so subtly to set aside high artistic and

moral standards and lapse into superficiality, tawdriness and moral

squalor. Communicators also can find themselves tempted to ignore


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the educational and social needs of certain segments of the audience

the very young, the very old, the poor who do not match the

demographic patterns (age, education ,income, habits of buying and

consuming, etc.) of the kinds of audiences advertisers want to reach.

In this way the tone and indeed the level of moral responsibility of the

communications media in general are lowered. All too often,

advertising contributes to the invidious stereotyping of particular

groups that places them at a disadvantage in relation to others. This

often is true of the way advertising treats women; and the exploitation

of women, both in and by advertising, is a frequent, deplorable abuse.

How often are they treated not as persons with an inviolable dignity

but as objects whose purpose is to satisfy others appetite for

pleasure or for power? How often the role of woman as wife and

mother is undervalued or even ridiculed? How often is the role of

women in business or professional life depicted as a masculine

caricature, a denial of the specific gifts of feminine insight,

compassion, and understanding, which so greatly contribute to the

Civilization of love?

Moral and Religious Ill Effects of Advertising

Advertising can be tasteful and in conformity with high moral

standards, and occasionally even morally uplifting, but it also can be

vulgar and morally degrading. Frequently it deliberately appeals to

such motives as envy, status seeking and lust. Today, too, some

advertisers consciously seek to shock and titillate by exploiting

content of a morbid, perverse and pornographic nature.


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Also commercial advertisers sometimes include religious

themes or use religious images or personages to sell products. It is

possible to do this in tasteful, acceptable ways, but the practice is

obnoxious and offensive when it involves exploiting religion or

treating it flippantly

Ethics means a choice between good and bad, between right

and wrong. It is governed by a set of principles of morality at a given

time at a given place.

After discussing the harmful effects of advertising it can be

understood that ethics are very important in the field of advertising.

Advertising, too, has ethical values. Advertising communication is a

mix of art and facts subservient to ethical principles. In order to be

consumer-oriented, an advertisement will have to be truthful and

ethical. It should not mislead the consumers. If it so happens, the

credibility is lost. The tall claims made by the companies boomerang

on them.

Therefore advertisers have two options either they help human

persons to grow in their understanding and practice of what is true

and good, or they are destructive forces in conflict with human well

being. Advertisers are morally responsible for what they seek to move

people to do; and this is a responsibility also shared by publishers,

broadcasting executives, and others in the communications world, as

well as by those who give commercial or political endorsements, to

the extent that they are involved in the advertising process. If an

instance of advertising seeks to move people to choose

and act rationally in morally good ways that are of true benefit to

themselves and others, persons involved in it do what is morally


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good; if it seeks to move people to do evil deeds that are self-

destructive and destructive of authentic community, they do evil. This

applies also to the means and the techniques of advertising: it is

morally wrong to use manipulative, exploitative, corrupt and

corrupting methods of persuasion and motivation. In this regard, we

note special problems associated with so-called indirect advertising

that attempts to move people to act in certain ways for example,

purchase particular products without their being fully aware that

they are being swayed. The techniques involved here include

showing certain products or forms of behavior in superficially

glamorous settings associated with superficially glamorous people; in

extreme cases, it may even involve the use of subliminal messages.

Within this very general framework, we can identify several

moral principles that are particularly relevant to advertising. We shall

speak briefly of three: truthfulness, the dignity of the human person,

and social responsibility.

2.3: Ethical Principles

A: Truthfulness in Advertising:

Even today, some advertising is simply and deliberately untrue.

Generally speaking, though, the problem of truth in advertising is

somewhat more subtle: it is not that advertising says what is overtly

false, but that it can distort the truth by implying things that are not so

or withholding relevant facts. Advertising, like other forms of

expression, has its own conventions and forms of stylization, and

these must be taken into account when discussing truthfulness.

People take for granted some rhetorical and symbolic exaggeration in

advertising; within the limits of recognized and accepted practice, this


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can be allowable .But it is a fundamental principle that advertising

may not deliberately seek to deceive, whether it does that by what it

says, by what it implies, or by what it fails to say. The proper exercise

of the right to information demands that the content of what is

communicated be true and, within limits, included here is the

obligation to avoid any manipulation of truth for any reason.

B: Dignity of the Human person

There is an imperative requirement that advertising respect

the human person, his right duty to make a responsible choice, his

interior freedom; all these would be violated if mans lower

inclinations were to be exploited, or his capacity to reflect and decide

compromised. These abuses are not merely hypothetical possibilities

but realities in much of advertising today. Advertising can violate the

dignity of the human person both through its content what is

advertised, the manner in which it is advertised and through the

impact it seeks to make upon its audience. We have spoken already

of such things as appeals to lust, vanity, envy and greed, and of

techniques that manipulate and exploit human weakness. In such

circumstances, advertisements readily become vehicles of a

deformed outlook on life, on the family, on religion and on morality

an outlook that does not respect the true dignity and destiny of the

human person.

This problem is especially acute where particularly vulnerable

groups or classes of persons are concerned: children and young

people, the elderly, the poor, the culturally disadvantaged. Much

advertising directed at children apparently tries to exploit their


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credulity and suggestibility, in the hope that they will put pressure on

their parents to buy products of no real benefit to them. Advertising

like this offends against the dignity and rights of both children and

parents; it intrudes upon the parent-child relationship and seeks to

manipulate it to its own base ends. Also, some of the comparatively

little advertising directed specifically to the elderly or culturally

disadvantaged seems designed to play upon their fears so as to

persuade them to allocate some of their limited resources to goods or

services of dubious value.

C:Advertising and Social Responsibility

Social responsibility is such a broad concept that we can note

here only a few of the many issues and concerns relevant under this

heading to the question of advertising. The ecological issue is one.

Advertising that fosters a lavish life style which wastes resources and

despoils the environment offends against important ecological

concerns. In his desire to have and to enjoy rather than to be and

grow, man consumes the resources of the earth and his own life in an

excessive and disordered way. ... Man thinks that he can make

arbitrary use of the earth, subjecting it without restraint to his will, as

though it did not have its own requisites and a prior God-given

purpose, which man can indeed develop but must not betray. As this

suggests, something more fundamental is at issue here: authentic

and integral human development. Advertising that reduces human

progress to acquiring material goods and cultivating a lavish life style

expresses a false, destructive vision of the human person harmful to

individuals and society alike. When people fail to practice a rigorous


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respect for the moral, cultural and spiritual requirements, based on

the dignity of the person and on the proper identity of each

community, beginning with the family and religious societies, then

even material abundance and the conveniences that technology

makes available will prove unsatisfying and in the end contemptible.

Advertisers, like people engaged in other forms of social

communication, have a serious duty to express and foster an

authentic vision of human development in its material, cultural and

spiritual dimensions.

Chapter: 3

3.1: Ethical Codes

In recent years the quantity of false, misleading and offensive

advertising has resulted in consumers having an increasing disbelief

in advertising, and a growing resentment of it. Misleading, false

advertising also constitutes unfair competition. It could lead to

market-place disaster or even litigation. If this kind of advertising

continues, it wont be long before statutory regulations and

procedures are imposed which make even fair, truthful, decent

advertising cumbersome if not impossible. This certainly will affect

firms ability to compete and grow.

3.2 Advertising Standards Council of India: ASCI

In order to enforce an ethical code we in India now have

Advertising Standards Council of India: ASCI. It is a non profit

organization set-up by 43 founder members who are involved with


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advertising in one-way or the other. It puts forward a regulating code.

ASCI propose to adjudicate on whether an advertisement is offensive

and its decision will be binding on its members. It proposes to deal

with the government if there are any disputes. The Advertising

Standards Council of India (ASCI) (1985) has adopted a Code for

Self-Regulation in Advertising. It is a commitment to honest

advertising and to fair competition in the market-place. It stands for

the protection of the legitimate interests of consumers and all

concerned with advertising - advertisers, media, advertising agencies

and others who help in the creation or placement of advertisements.

As the Code becomes increasingly accepted and observed pro-

actively, three things will begin to happen.

1. Fewer false and misleading advertisements

2. Fewer unfair advertisements

3. Increasing respectability

This only means more freedom for advertisers/firms to practice their

craft or carry on their business effectively. As a member of ASCI,

advertisers can mould the course of Self-Regulation and participate in

the protection of healthy, effective advertising. They can have a say,

through the Board of Governors, in the further development of the

Code and future appointments to the Consumer Complaints Council

(CCC). Membership of the ASCI (open only to Firms) entitles you to

appoint your nominee to discharge your function as a member,

including standing for election to the Board of Governors and voting

at general meetings.

In India, as in several advanced economies, ASCI is the only

body for Self-Regulation in Advertising the ASCI, which is


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concerned with safeguarding the interests of consumers whilst

monitoring/guiding the commercial communications of Practitioners in

Advertising on behalf of advertisers, for advertisements carried by the

Media, in their endeavors to influence buying decisions of the

Consuming Public.

Consumer Complaints Council

The Board of Governors shall appoint Consumer Complaints

Council (CCC), the number of members of which shall not be more

than twenty one.

The Consumer Complaints Council shall examine and investigate the

complaints received from the consumers and the general public,

including the members of the Company, regarding any breach of the

Code of Conduct and/or advertising ethics and recommend the action

to be taken in that regards

Power of Consumer Complaints Council

Each Council shall be entitled to receive complaints from the

Board of Governors, the Consumers, the general public and

members of the Company. Each Council shall enquire, investigate

and decide upon the complaints received by it within the frame work

of the Code of Conduct adopted by the Company. All the decisions of

each Council shall be by simple majority, in writing and may specify

the action to be taken in respect of the offending advertisement.


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3.3: Goal and Objectives

ASCI have one overreaching goal to maintain and enhance the

public's confidence in advertising.

ASCI seeks to ensure that advertisements conform to its Code for

Self-Regulation which requires advertisements to be

1. Truthful and fair to consumers and competitors

2. within the bounds of generally accepted standards of public

decency and propriety

3. Not used indiscriminately for the promotion of products, hazardous

or harmful to society or to individuals particularly minors, to a degree

unacceptable to society at large.

ASCI propagates its Code and a sense of responsibility for its

observance amongst advertisers, advertising agencies and others

connected with the creation of advertisements, and the media.

ASCI encourages the public to COMPLAIN against advertisements

with which they may be unhappy for any reason and ensures that

each complaint receives a prompt and objective consideration by an

impartial committee Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) which

takes into account the view point of the advertiser, and an appropriate

decision is communicated to all concerned.

ASCI endeavors to achieve compliance with its decisions through

reasoned persuasion and the power of public opinion.


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3.4: Role and Functioning

The Role and Functioning of the ASCI & its Consumer

Complaints Council (CCC) in dealing with Complaints received from

Consumers and Industry, against Ads which are considered as False,

Misleading, Indecent, Illegal, leading to Unsafe practices, or Unfair to

competition, and consequently in contravention of the ASCI Code for

Self-Regulation in Advertising.

ASCI are a voluntary self-regulatory council, registered as a

not-for-profit Company under section 25 of the Indian Cos. Act.

The sponsors of the ASCI, who are its principal members, are

firms of considerable repute within Industry in India, and

comprise Advertisers, Media, and Ad. Agencies and other

Professional /Ancillary services connected with advertising

practice.

The ASCI is not a Government body, nor does it formulate

rules for the public or for the relevant industries. The Purpose

and the Mission of the ASCI is spelt out clearly in the literature

provided. You will appreciate that if an AD is to be reviewed for

its likely impact on the sensibilities of individual viewers of TV, or

readers of press publications, we require to convey to the

Advertiser concerned, the substantial issues raised in the

complaint, in the exact context of the specific Ad, as conveyed by

the perception of the complainant, and to elicit the appropriate

response by way of comments from the Advertiser.

Only then will the CCC, of the ASCI, be in a position to

deliberate meaningfully on the issues involved, and to arrive at a fair

and objective conclusion, which would stand the scrutiny of all


24/49



concerned with the right to freedom of expression, and the freedom of

consumers to choose the products /services made available to them

in the market.

Chapter: 4

4.1: SURROGATE ADVERTISING

Tobacco & liquor advertising does more than offer a high; it

promises a sophisticated lifestyle that stems merely from holding a

cigarette or hard drink. In India, the advertising industry has been

largely self-regulated. To circumvent the regulations, advertisers have

frequently used methods such as "surrogate advertising" to promote

such products. Surrogate advertising is the promotion of a product,

through indirect and devious means. Typically, an advertiser would

use the trademark/brand of a product for which promotions are

restricted/prohibited to promote a productthe advertisement of which

is permitted. For instance, it is not unusual to find a brand associated

with cigarettes to be used to advertise a competition/event. The

advertising of socially harmful products such as tobacco and alcohol

has been sought to be restricted by Indian lawmakers. Such

prohibitions were, however, previously limited to forms of media such

as terrestrial television and radio which were easier to regulate. With

technological advances such as satellite television and the Internet,

advertisers have been finding ways to circumvent restrictions to

achieve their goals.

SOURCE: The Economic Times (Corporate Counsel section),June

14, 2003.


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The literal meaning of Surrogate advertising is duplicating the

brand image of one product extensively to promote another product

of the same brand. Advertisement, as a popular medium of paid

communication has drawn public ire time and again for moving away

from the truth and the consumers right to know to providing false

images. The masked creative leave it to the consumers to read

between the lines.

This advertisement gimmick has its genesis in U.K., where

English housewives protested against liquor advertisements as they

felt that these ads were weaning their husbands away from them and

hence perceived as a threat. The liquor and the tobacco barons not

only in U.K. but also in other countries including India dealt with

resistance by advertising cocktail mixtures, fruit juices, apparel, etc.

The imagery used in most of the commercials is that which one can

associate with alcohol. Apart from brand names they assort the

products with seems like machismo, scantily clad girls, dim lights,

people partying and doing merry together. In ad parlance, surrogate

advertising is a politically correct term used to define fraudulent


26/49



pieces of communication. For example, all those playing cards, soda

water bottles, apple juices, mineral water and other product ads we

see, are actually clever promotions for liquor and cigarette brands by

the same name. Lets take an example how it works. To explain..a

party is going in full swing, guests are enjoying their drinks and

chatting away. A gentleman finishes his drink and hands over the

empty glass to the waitress. Another lady also finishes her drink and

places the glass on the tray. On both the glasses AC Black Apple

Juice is printed. As the waitress carries the empty glasses, the two

AC Black ones knock against each other. In the next shot a kind of

mysterious force pulls the two guests, who bump against each other.

While waitress continues to carry the tray, the two glasses keep

brushing against each otherand so do the young couple. Even as

the dance between the two glasses goes on in full scale, the impact is

felt in equal strength by the couple. The glasses are taken for a wash,

and are placed under the rush of tap water. Continuing with the

pattern, the young dancing partners too find themselves in pouring

rain. Finally having cleaned the glasses, the waitress keeps them for

drying, placed beside each other. The amazed guests look on as the

couple also stands immobilized side by side. The voice over says:

"AC Black Apple Juice, kuch bhi ho sakta hai" (Anything is possible).

In addition, brand imagery can be communicated without referenceto

cigarettes. This is evident in the evolution of the current Four Square

campaign. Some of the Four Square campaign storefront and bus

stop advertisements contain the black and white photograph with a

man holding a red square on one end and an open pack of cigarettes

on the other; others just contain the photograph with the text, "four


27/49



square the man with the smooth edge" and three red squares. The

Four Square billboards, posters, and magazine advertisements are

composed solely of the photograph,the logo, and the slogan; the only

mention of cigarettes is

in the statutory warning.

4.2: Whats surrogate about advertising?

The I&B Ministry had instructed the TV channels not to carry

surrogate advertising. This was in addition to the news that cigarette

packets would now have to carry gory pictures, ostensibly to scare

away smokers and thereby save their lungs and their lives.

Lets take the second point first. The picture of a scorpion on a

cigarette packet is probably the most ludicrous attempt at scaring

anyone away. It is this propensity of the Government to convert its

feeble attempts at regulating the powerful tobacco lobby that never

ceases to amaze me. If the smokers do not die of lung cancer after

merrily continuing smoking cigarettes from packets that carry the

scorpion picture, they will surely die of laughing at these half

measures.

That brings us to the first point. Every so often one reads of the

strict rules that ban tobacco and liquor advertising. And every so

often one views advertising of CDs, cassettes, events, mineral water,

stores, airlines, awards and any other product with the brand names

of major tobacco and liquor companies on television, newspapers,

magazines and on hoardings.


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Lets examine the case for and against surrogate advertising from

different perspectives.

The advertisers perspective is fairly straightforward. If it is legal

to manufacture, distribute and sell a product, why should it be illegal

to promote the sale of that product?

I dont think anyone can answer that question convincingly. If it has

been established conclusively that cigarette smoking kills, why is it

that it is available to anyone, irrespective of his or her age, at every

street corner?

And even if surrogate advertising for cigarettes is effectively

banned, what about events on satellite TV that are sponsored by

tobacco and liquor companies? Tune into the coverage of Formula 1

racing at you will see cars racing around circuits of the world with the

names and logos of tobacco and liquor companies emblazoned on

every part of the vehicle and the driver. Does this mean that ITC

cannot advertise its products in Indian events even though it is a

major contributor to the exchequer in terms of excise and duties,

while Marlboro, which is smuggled freely onto the streets of India, can

subliminally implant itself in the minds of the smoking public that

watches this coverage? Assuming that tobacco companies even have

a case to advertise, one would at least ask for a level playing field.

What about the advertising agencys point of view? I frankly dont

think they have one. They will implement strategy for their clients,

execute jobs irrespective of whether they are legal or not and try and

shore up their bottom line. If this was not the case, you would not

have surrogate advertising.


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Now lets think of the consumer. Well, as a consumer, I cannot

plead that I should have the right to do what I wish, including the

consumption of tobacco in whatever form. That would perforce mean

I have the right to commit suicide. And society and statute does not

give me that right.

Having got that out of the way, I would have to agree that

society in its wisdom and the law in its majesty enjoins certain

restrictions on me and my public behavior, and if I do not agree with

such restrictions I have the right to appeal against them to the

judiciary or lobby for legislative change. In the meanwhile, I am

expected to be a law-abiding citizen. Sounds very simple and

straightforward.

Then why is there surrogate advertising? Does it mean that

those indulging in it are not law-abiding citizens? The short answer is

yes!

Tobacco and liquor companies have the right to knock on the

doors of the judiciary and the legislature to seek redress from rules or

laws they feel are unfair or wrong. God know they have the money,

legal wherewithal and political patronage to do all of these things. If

they have not been able to do it, it means that surrogate advertising is

not just legally wrong but also unconscionable.

Advertisers such as United Breweries went ahead and set up

an airline with a brand name, color and logo style that was the same

as a liquor brand they owned.


30/49



Advertisers like ITC went ahead and set up a chain of lifestyle

stores under the name and style of a cigarette brand they owned.

This was when there were already rules and laws in place that

expressly forbade this.

Today we have a large airline that is a legitimate business

called Kingfisher. And a large chain of lifestyles stores called Wills.

An equally legitimate business. Yet, even Vijay Mallya would not be

able to tell you with a straight face that his airline was named

Kingfisher at a time when it was legal to do so. Nor would Yogi

Deveshwar. And they are both honorable men.

If the Government was serious about enforcing its rules and

laws it could have put a stop to these names years ago. It was

expedient to allow them to grow into large legitimate businesses and

then deem them legitimate. Now one can say that you cannot have a

product (other than the liquor brand) called Seagrams 100 Pipers.

That merely locks the doors after the horses have fled. How will you

decide that a business is legitimate or not? Would Bacardi Blast

cassettes and CDs be seen as legitimate? Of course it would be.

Would any of these be right? Certainly not.

The point to note is that there is nothing surrogate about

advertising. There is something surrogate about ethics and values

and a sense of right and wrong. And so you have an actress who was

hailed as the only man in Bollywood endorsing a bravery award

named after a cigarette brand. And you have pious corporate social

responsibility programmes from a tobacco company that freely

endorses surrogate advertising. And you have a Member of

Parliament whose intentions could definitely be construed to point at


31/49



encouraging surrogate advertising. Forget the advertising agencies.

They are too small in this game. Advertisers must decide what is right

and what is wrong. And the consumer must be the ultimate judge. Do

you want to patronize the products and services of companies who

are legally correct, or really correct? Thats a choice you have to

make. The advertising is purely incidental.

Surrogate Advertising - The Positive Side

When the laws of a country do not permit advertising of a

certain product category, the advertisers take the shelter of a brand

extension. Advertising of alcoholic drinks in India is not permitted. To

by pass this, some manufacturers of whisky or similar products

launched brands of soda, mineral water under the same brand name

as that of their popular whisky. Hence the meaning of Surrogate

advertising is duplicating the brand image of one product extensively

to promote another product of the same brand.

4.3: POPULAR EXAMPLES OF SURROGATE ADVERTISING &

WHATS IN STORE

Todays media is full of examples which bring out the best of

surrogate advertising. Even the event marketing of sports, fashion &

music has not been spared from surrogate advertising. The alcohol

based brand sponsor sports and receives visibility via advertising and

below-the-line marketing. Brief examples along with modus operandi

have been mentioned below.

Celebrity endorsements with Shatrughan Sinha for the Bagpiper soda

to the leading stars such as Akshay Kumar for the Red & White

Bravery Awards while Johnny Walker Scotch Whisky promotes a


32/49



series of successful stories on the T.V. channel-CNBC India through

sound bites like Amitabh Bhachan. Event marketing has benefited

sports, fashion & music. The alcohol based brand sponsors sports

and receives visibility via advertising and below-the-line marketing.

Seagram-the producer of the premium whisky Chivas Regal have

been promoting Chivas Regal Championships and Chivas Regal

Invitational Golf Challenge for corporate executives. United Breweries

group been associated with formula one racing since long through its

flagship beer brand king fisher, Mc Dowell & Co. has associated its

umbrella brand McDowell with sport of derby. While the most

interesting amongst them is the Haywards 5000 beer, which uses

dart boards as their surrogate product in their ads and the brand has

gone one step further by associating itself with a new sport darting

and is sponsoring national dart championships.

Wills Life Style is a chain of specialty stores providing exclusive

designer collection. At 2003 Images Fashions Awards, Wills Life Style

was declared the most admired exclusive retail chain of the year.

Hence the stores serve as effective brand wagon for the cigarette

brand. Another glaring example in this field is Manikchand-a major

gutka manufacturer who sponsor Manikchand-Filmfare Awards and

promotes its brand name.

With the Government trying to clamp down on surrogate

advertising, liquor companies seem keen to bat out the ban. Even as

liquor brands have traditionally been associated with up market

sporting activities like golf, polo, derby and yachting, companies are

now turning towards the game of the masses - cricket. In fact, the


33/49



latter half of the current year will see liquor brands as the title

sponsors of two major cricketing events featuring India.

Immediately after the triangular series at Zimbabwe (of which Royal

Stag was the associate sponsor), the India and Zimbabwe Test series

will be called the Royal Stag Cup.

Till date Royal Stag has used several international cricketers as

brand endorsers. This is the first time the company has forayed into

tournament sponsorship.

Similarly, the ICC World XI Vs Australia series to be held Down

Under will be called the Johnnie Walker Super Series. According to

media planners, as both the series are being held outside India it

would be difficult for the Government to blip out the liquor brands.

"Since the matches will be beamed into Indian drawing rooms live,

the brands will enjoy good visibility," they added.

Internationally beer brands such as Fosters and Lion have supported

cricket in Australia and Sri Lanka respectively. Meanwhile, Royal

Stag has roped in Zimbabwean Vice-Captain, Heath Streak as their

new Royal Stag brand ambassador. Other celebrity Royal Stag

cricket endorsers include Australian Cricket captain Ricky Pointing,

and Indias Harbhajan Singh. The Information and Broadcasting (I&B)

Ministry's efforts to ban surrogate advertising of liquor brands has

reached a naught. A few months ago, it had sent out notices to

various television channels to withdraw advertisements by liquor

companies. But within a few weeks of the notices being issued,

surrogate advertising made a comeback on television. In fact, a few

liquor companies have been advertising during the ongoing cricket

series as well. Earlier, in an interaction with Government officials,


34/49



channels were categorically told that there is a complete ban on

advertising by liquor companies. "However, exemptions could be

granted on a case-by-case basis, like the one granted to Kingfisher

Airlines," they had said.

The Government is also handicapped by procedure wherein it

can take action against channels only after receipt of complaints.

"The Government cannot suo motu issue show-cause notices. It has

to first receive complaints," said official sources.

Liquor companies on their part state that their advertising is self-

regulated and comply with the Indian Broadcasting Foundation and

the Advertising Standards Council of India code.

4.4: ANALYSIS OF THE PRIMARY DATA

In order to have broader & balanced sample, there were two

target segments that were identified first being the advertising

companies who actually understand the market, analyze the

requirement of the client & the target customers and accordingly

design advertisements to communicate the desired message

effectively.

The second target segment consists of people from diverse

backgrounds or the general segment, who are the main consumers.

The questioners were distributed to advertising companies and also

to individuals or general public (consumers). While out of the total

hundred questionnaires, twenty were given to people in advertising

sector, eighty questionnaires were given to individuals from diverse

background.


35/49



Q.1 Do you think we require any ban on Tobacco & Liquor

advertising?

Advertising Segment-

A staggering 95% of the sample from the advertising companies felt

that a ban should be imposed on advertising of Tobacco & Liquor. As

low as 5% of the sample from the Advertising companies, believes

that a ban on advertising of Tobacco & Liquor is not required.

Others-

Amongst the sample, other than those from advertising segment,

56.25 % are in favor of a ban being imposed on advertising of

tobacco & liquor. On the other hand 43.75 % of the audience from the

general target audience says that no ban is required on the

advertising of liquor & tobacco.

Conclusion-

As much as 64% of the sample is in favor of a ban being imposed on

tobacco & liquor advertising, as against a 36% who feel that no ban

on tobacco & liquor advertising is required. This clearly shows that a

majority of people feel that the ever rising consumption & ills of

consuming tobacco & liquor can be controlled by putting a ban on

95

56.25

64

5

43.75

36

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

8090

100

Advertising General Overall

Segment

OpenionofRespondents(%

)

Yes

No


36/49



advertising tobacco & liquor. This reflects that the majority is in favor

of the ban introduced by the government on liquor & tobacco

advertising.

Q.2 Do you think the government has been successful in controlling

the consumption of tobacco & liquor by imposing a ban on Tobacco &

Liquor advertising?


In the opinion of as many as 70% of the sample from advertising

segment, the government has not been successful in its attempt to

control the consumption of tobacco & liquor by putting a ban on their

advertising. Only 30 % of them consider that government has been

successful in this endeavor of their.

Other-

While 36.25% of the sample feels that government has curbed the

consumption of tobacco & liquor by imposing a ban on their

3036 35

7064 65

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80


Segment

NumberofRespondents(%)

Yes

No


37/49



advertising, a larger part of the sample .i.e.63.75% feels the ban has

not helped the government achieve its objective

Conclusion-

As against 35% of the sample who have voted in favor of the

government measure, 65% of the sample considers that the

government has failed in its endeavor to control the consumption of

tobacco & liquor by imposing a ban on its advertising.

Since the liquor & tobacco manufacturers have found alternate

means of promoting their products, the ban has not been successful

putting restriction to the ever increasing demand of liquor & tobacco.

The response to the above question shows the opinion of the masses

& highlights the inability of the government to achieve its objective of

curbing the consumption of the tobacco & liquor.

Q.3 what one of the following do you consume?

In order to be able to analyze the feedback of the people constituting

the sample it was important to know there preference for tobacco &

liquor.

10

22.5 20

10

2.5 45

63.75

52

75

11.25

24

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80


Segment

ConsumptionPatternofRespondents

(%)

Tobacco & Liquor

Tobacco Only

Liquor Only

None


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Out of the twenty people belonging from the advertising background

10% of them consumed both tobacco & liquor, 10% consumed only

tobacco, those who consumed liquor only constituted for 5% of the

sample. However majority of them .i.e. 75% of them said they

consumed none of the two.

Others-

In case of the general sample or the sample constituting of general

public 22.5% people said they consume both tobacco & liquor, 2.5%

consumed only tobacco, and 11.25% of them consumed none. But

63.75% agreed on their being consumers of liquor alone.

Conclusion-

Out of the total sample size of 100, 20% consume both tobacco &

liquor, 4% consume only tobacco, 52% consume only liquor and 24%

dose not consume any of the two. The result shows majority of the

sample being consumers of tobacco &/or liquor, this implies that the

data collected from this sample provides a realistic base for analysis.

Q.4 what comes to your mind when you see advertisements like Red

& White Bravery Awards, Royal Challenge Golf & club Accessories,

Bagpiper Soda, Aristocrat Apple Juice, Manikchand Filmfare Awards?


39/49




A strong 60% of the target segment says the surrogate advertisement

reminds them of the core product that is the liquor or tobacco. 5%

percent of the people in the sample feel that the surrogate advertising

encourages them to consume liquor or tobacco. Another 5% of them

feel that surrogate advertising makes them feel like consuming more

of the liquor or tobacco. However 30% of the target segments in thesample feel that for them surrogate advertisement are advertisement

of only the product being shown there in & not of the brand or core

product.

Others-

In the general target segment, 42.5% of the people feel that the

surrogate advertisements remind them of the core products i.e. liquor

or tobacco. 46.25% of the people from whom the data was collected

said the surrogate ads encourage them to consume liquor & tobacco.

While 22.5% of those who were part of the sample feel that surrogate

advertising induced in them the desire to increase the consumption of

6042.5 46

5 46.25 385

22.519

30

17.520

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140


Segment

OpenionofRespond

ents(%)

Associate to

Product in the Ad

Encourages

Increased

consumption

Encourages to

Consume

Reminds of Core

Product


40/49



liquor & tobacco, 17.5% say that for them surrogate advertising is just

another which, tries to market the product being advertised.

Conclusion-

The very reason for which the liquor & tobacco manufacturers took to

surrogate advertising was that in the presence of the ban, they

needed to promote their product & maintain a strong brand recall. All

this was obviously for the very basic cause, that is maximize sales

volume & to have a bigger customer base.

Based on the response to this question it can be said that surrogate

advertising does its job well because 46% of the respondents

correlate to the core product, whose brand is being advertised, 38%

of them are encouraged to consume tobacco & liquor. As per 19% of

the people in the sample, surrogate advertisements also create

desire in the viewers to increase their consumption of tobacco &

liquor. Only 20% of the people feel that for them surrogate ads are

just an ad of the product being promoted in the advertisement & not

of the core product or brand.

Q.5 Are you aware of the phenomenon of Surrogate Advertising (as

mentioned above)


41/49




In the advertising segment of the sample 75% of the people said they

were not just familiar with the term surrogate advertising but they also

knew the concept. Only a small section, constituting 5% of the

respondents from advertising and media target segment said even

though the new the concept, they were not familiar with the term.

20% were unaware of both the term & concept of surrogate

advertising.

Others-

Among the general target segment the majority constituting of

66.25% said they were not aware of the term surrogate advertising &

the concept. While 25% people said they were familiar with the term

surrogate advertising & also knew the concept, 8.75% of people said

although the new the concept but they did not know the term

surrogate advertising.

Advertising, 75

Advertising, 5Advertising, 20

General, 25

General, 8.75

General, 66.25

Overall, 35

Overall, 8

Overall, 57

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

Familiar & Aware

of Concept

Not Familiar but

Aware of Concept

Not Familiar & Not

Aware of Concept

Familiarity & Awareness

PercentageofRespo

ndents(%)

Overall

General

Advertising


42/49



Conclusion-

In order to understand the awareness & comfort level of the target

segments, it was important to determine their knowledge about the

topic of the study. The result shows that surrogate advertising is a

less known fact to a layman & hence the surrogate adds would have

a mixed impact on the audience, this means that while some would

consciously realize of why surrogate advertising of core brand is

being done, others might not be equally receptive to the message of

the ads. The response to the above question highlights the lack of

awareness in people about surrogate advertisement. Out of the total

sample of 100, 57% said they were not aware of surrogate

advertising as a term & concept. Out of the remaining 35% said that

they were familiar with both the term & concept of surrogate

advertising. Remaining 8% were only familiar with the term but not of

the concept.

Q.6 What according to you is the root cause that led to surrogate

advertising?

Advertising, 50Advertising, 20

Advertising, 40

General, 57.5

General, 20

General, 40

Overall, 56

Overall, 28

Overall, 39

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

Loopholes in Ban

on Advertising

Pressure of

Incresed

Competition & Ban

Better Brand

Recall due to

Surrogate Ad's

Root Cause of Surrogate Advertising

Percentage

ofRespondents(%)

Overall

General

Advertising


43/49




Majority of the people from the advertising segment of the sample

.i.e. 50% of the respondents feel that surrogate advertising has

emerged from the loopholes existing in the laws directed towards

implementing the ban. 20% of the respondents feel that surrogate

advertising is an outcome of increased competition among the liquor

& tobacco giants, which forced them to advertise in one form or

another. In the opinion of 40% of the people from advertising

segment, surrogate advertising exists because it leads to better brand

recall & increased sales of the core product.

Others-

While 57.5% of those belonging to the general segment, attributed

the existence of loopholes in the law created to ban advertising of

liquor & tobacco as the root cause that led to surrogate advertising,

20% respondents felt that surrogate advertising was an outcome of

the increased competition among the liquor & tobacco giants & this is

what forced them to take up advertising in one form or another. For

40% of the general segment who responded to the questionnaire

surrogate advertising emerged because it leads to better brand recall

& helps in increased sales of the core product.

Adding to the findings of question 4 of the questionnaire

Conclusion-

Out of the total sample size of 100, in the opinion of 56% of the

people the root cause of why surrogate advertising exists is that there

are loopholes in the laws that were created to implement a ban on

advertising of liquor & tobacco. Like any other industry the liquor &

tobacco industry also has lots of players which, results in cut throat


44/49



competition. This is the view point that 28% of the respondents share,

as they feel the pressure to advertise in form or the other to compete

in the market, is what has lead the liquor & tobacco giants to take up

surrogate advertising as an alternative to the ban. Another 39% of the

people said surrogate advertising exists because it leads to a better

brand recall & leads to increased sales of the core product.

The above response reveals the large success story of surrogate

advertising. The results mentioned above in addition to the response

to question 4 of the questionnaire out rightly shows that surrogate

advertising results in a better brand recall & increased sales.

Q.7 Do you think Surrogate advertising is good for the core brand

itself?


Surrogate advertising, is it truly beneficial for the core brand itself or

does it erode the essence & the brand image of the core brand? The

feedback that was received from the Advertising segment of the

50

52

51

50

48

49

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53


Segment

OpenionofRespond

ents(%)

Yes

No


45/49



sample indicated a mixed opinion. While 50% of them felt that the

surrogate advertising is good for the core brand & does benefit it, the

other 50% felt that surrogate advertising has a negative impact on the

core brand.

Others-

Talking of the general segment, 52% of the people are of the view

that surrogate advertising does good to the core brand itself. On the

contrary 48% feels that surrogate advertising does not contribute in a

positive manner to the core brand.

Conclusion-

Taking a look at the comprehensive picture there is very small

difference between the number of people who feel surrogate

advertising contributes positively to the core brand. While 51% of

people are of the view that surrogate advertising is good for the core

brand itself, 49% of those who responded to the questionnaire feel

that the surrogate advertising is not good for the core brand itself.

This reveals that surrogate advertising needs to planned & executed

very carefully as it plays a critical factor in making or breaking of the

brand image & exclusiveness of the brand. There is high risk that if

surrogate advertising is not executed correctly, it might lead to

adverse impact on the brand.


46/49



Q.8 Do you think that surrogate advertising leads to increase in

consumption of liquor & tobacco?


In the opinion of 70% of those belonging to advertising segment,

surrogate advertising leads to increase in the consumption of liquor &

tobacco. 30% of people from the same segment are of the belief that

surrogate advertising dose not lead to any increase in sales of liquor

& tobacco.

Others-

Surrogate advertising dose lead to increase in the sales of liquor &

tobacco, this is the belief of 57.5% of the respondents from the

general segment. However 42.5% of the respondents are of the view

that surrogate advertising dose not contribute to the increase in the

sales of liquor & tobacco.

Conclusion-

In the overall context 80% of the respondents said that liquor &

tobacco sales increased as an outcome of the surrogate advertising.

Whereas another 20% of those who responded to the questionnaire

70

57.5

80

30

42.5

20

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90


Segment

OpenionofRespondents(%

)

Yes

No


47/49



were of the view that surrogate advertising dose not result support

the belief that surrogate advertising results in increased consumption

of liquor & tobacco, highlights the success of surrogate advertising in

achieving the key motive, which is increasing the sale of the core

brand being advertised in them.

4.5: Key Findings of the Study

95% of the respondents in the Advertising segment emphasize

that a ban on liquor & tobacco advertising is required. This is a

surprising revelation from the horses mouth.

The success of the government in imposing the ban is evident from

the fact that 65 % of the total respondents have firmly said No, when

asked if the government was successful in imposing the ban on liquor

& tobacco advertising.

As compared 52% of the respondent who consume only liquor, only

4% of the respondents consume tobacco alone. This shows that

there is not truth in the fact that those who drink alcohol & also

consume tobacco. This also supported by the fact that only 20% of

the respondents consume both tobacco & liquor.

The effectiveness of the surrogate adds is eminent from the finding

that 46% of respondents accept that it reminds them of the core

product. Another 38% of respondents feel surrogate advertising

encourages them to consume tobacco & liquor.

As many 57% of the respondents were not aware of both the term

surrogate advertising & the concept. This shows that ignorance is

bliss, though here its bliss for the tobacco & liquor manufacturers.


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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Times of India

Hindu business line

Union health ministry

Information & broadcasting ministry

Saffer, Henry. The control of Tobacco Advertising and

Promotion, Background paper

http://www1.worldbank.org/tobacco/book/html/chapter4.htm

http://www.who.int/features/2003/08/en/

http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu/eaa/timeline.html

http://www.tobacco.org/resources/history/Tobacco_History21.ht

ml

http://surogate/EH_Net Encyclopedia Advertising Bans,

US.html


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roll no 3 “advertising ethics and viewers perception towards surrogate advertisement”

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