The Ministry of Information and broadcasting Advertising Standards council of India (ASCI) has found a serious breach in 2 ads that go against their code as well as the public opinion.
The government has asked social media platforms Twitter and YouTube to takedown 2 ads that have sparked a massive controversy due to their content being “derogatory.” The Ministry of Information and broadcasting comments on the ads saying, the videos are detrimental and portray women in the interest of decency or morality
The government took this action after the advertising standard council of India (ASCI) found that the ads go against their code and also against people’s interests. This is not the first time a brand has used sex appeal to grab people’s attention but to do it disrespectfully towards women would not be tolerated by the council.
Both the ads are of the popular brand ‘Layer’r shot,’ In the first advertisement it is portrayed showing a young couple in a bedroom when 4 of the man’s friends come into the room without knocking. They then ask a crude question from the women before they proceed to take the ‘shot’ perfume that was kept on the table, in a way trying to hint that they were talking about the perfume the whole time.
In the other advertisement in question, there can be seen the same set of men in a conversation at a convenience store where they all are standing behind a woman and saying ” There are 4 of us, but there’s only one, who will get a shot“ again making the audience seem like they were talking about the woman but in fact, they were talking about a single bottle of the ‘shot’ perfume left on the rack.
The Delhi Commission for Women, chairperson Swati Maliwal expressed in a tweet that “toxic masculinity in its worst form.” She also says that she has taken the matters up with the Delhi Police and information and broadcasting ministry to not promote such ads. On many social media platforms, users commented as the ad being “disrespectful towards women” and “promoting rape.”
