Ads of fairness products should not portray that dark skin is inferior: ASCI
Updated: Aug 19, 2014 04:51:58pm
New Delhi, Aug 19 (KNN) The advertisements of fairness products should not communicate any discrimination due to colour of skin and the ads should not reinforce negative social stereotyping on the basis of skin colour, says regulatory body of the advertising industry.
Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has issued the final guidelines for the advertising of skin lightening and fairness products based on industry and public feedback.
“While all Fairness products are licensed for manufacture and sale by relevant state Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, there is a strong concern in certain sections of society that advertising of fairness products tends to communicate and perpetuate the notion that dark skin is inferior and undesirable,” ASCI said in a release last week.
“ASCI code…already states that advertisements should not deride race, caste, colour, creed or nationality. Yet given how widespread the advertising for fairness and skin lightening products is and the concerns of different stakeholders in society, ASCI felt a need to frame specific guidelines for this product category,” it added.
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, ASCI guideline said adding that these ads should not portray people with darker skin, in a way which is widely seen as, at 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.
The guidelines also specify that in the pre-usage depiction of product, special care should be taken to ensure that the expression of the model/s in the real and graphical representation should not be negative in a way which is widely seen as unattractive, unhappy, depressed or concerned.
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, ASCI said. (KNN/SD)
Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has issued the final guidelines for the advertising of skin lightening and fairness products based on industry and public feedback.
“While all Fairness products are licensed for manufacture and sale by relevant state Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, there is a strong concern in certain sections of society that advertising of fairness products tends to communicate and perpetuate the notion that dark skin is inferior and undesirable,” ASCI said in a release last week.
“ASCI code…already states that advertisements should not deride race, caste, colour, creed or nationality. Yet given how widespread the advertising for fairness and skin lightening products is and the concerns of different stakeholders in society, ASCI felt a need to frame specific guidelines for this product category,” it added.
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, ASCI guideline said adding that these ads should not portray people with darker skin, in a way which is widely seen as, at 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.
The guidelines also specify that in the pre-usage depiction of product, special care should be taken to ensure that the expression of the model/s in the real and graphical representation should not be negative in a way which is widely seen as unattractive, unhappy, depressed or concerned.
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, ASCI said. (KNN/SD)
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