Societal values, utmost important for Ad industry

Rajiv Thakru, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said during ASCI (Advertising Standards Council of India) �Seminar, “No society can afford to loose the societal values if we have to live in the industry,” while referring to the advertising sector’s role in self-regulation.

He added that “Media is a very dangerous commodity,” while speaking on the reach and impact of media and consequently advertisements, which the viewers consume at face value.

The discussion based on the issue of “decency of advertisements” spanned from the ‘Utterly Butterly delicious Amul’ to the underwear brand ‘Amul Macho’.

Piyush Pandey, Executive Chairman and Creative Director, South Asia, Ogilvy & Mather, said “We don’t have to be prude, but prudent,” while measuring an ad on parameters of decency.

Akhila Sivdas, Managing Trustee & Director, CFAR, an NGO, expressed her concern over the long fought battle of obscene ads which objectify women and are yet on air, thus adding a question mark to the debate on “self-regulation”.

However, Minister Thakru regarded the idea of self-regulation as “wonderful” and based it on two fundamental issues- respecting the law and self-control.