Sudhanshu Vats Named Chairman of ASCI in Milestone 40th Year
At the 39th annual general meeting of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), Sudhanshu Vats, managing director of Pidilite Industries Ltd., was named chairman. The action was taken as the self-regulatory organization gets ready to celebrate its 40th anniversary in October.
Additionally, ASCI appointed Paritosh Joshi, principal of Provocateur Advisory, as honorary treasurer and S Subramanyeswar of MullenLowe Global as vice-chairman.
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“ASCI’s role has never been more important. As advertising evolves with new technologies and formats, our responsibility is to ensure it is executed with integrity, centered around the product promise, respectful of the community and mindful of consumers. In an environment where trust is easily shaken, self-regulation provides both guidance to the industry and assurance to the public,” Vats says.
“I look forward to working closely with advertisers, agencies, platforms and consumers to uphold high standards, encourage responsible creativity, and strengthen confidence in advertising. At the heart of this effort is a simple principle — always keep the consumer’s interest front and centre.”
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Outgoing chairman Partha Sinha reflected on the council’s journey. “Over the past years, we have moved from being a watchdog to becoming an enabler of responsible communication — not just policing, but partnering. We have stepped firmly into the digital arena, because responsibility cannot lag behind technology. And we have begun to expand ASCI’s footprint, reminding ourselves that consumer trust is not an ambition that works in pockets but is a pan-India language."
"I leave the chair with the comfort that the story continues — and with deep gratitude to my colleagues on the Board and the Secretariat, who ensured that this journey was one of shared purpose and collective strength.”
ASCI unveiled a number of new projects to commemorate its 40th anniversary. These include the launch of a comprehensive resource for advertising codes and laws in India in collaboration with Khaitan & Co., the expansion of its presence in Bengaluru and Delhi, the training of over a million schoolchildren through the AdWise children's advertising and media literacy program, and ethnographic research among Gen Alpha to develop a framework for responsible advertising.
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Along with a new visual asset that members can use in their communications and websites to demonstrate their dedication to ethical advertising, ASCI also plans a podcast series with Marketing Minds and The Logical Indian.