Around the month of Feb 2020 an Indian Company Asian Paints released an ad which showed a wife being aggressive towards her husband in a manner that will qualify as domestic violence as per the legal definition of Domestic violence. But in the Ad it was shown as if this was perfectly normal! Many people found this Ad offensive and twitter went abuzz with the tag #BoycottAsianPaints some people also complained with the The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI). The agency decided to probe the complaint and has upheld the complaint of men. Following is the reply of the council.
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Dear XXXX,
Re: CCC Recommendation–2004-C.7(19)–Your complaint against the advertisement of “Asian Paints Ltd. – Asian Paints Damp Proof”
The complaint was considered by the Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) at their meeting.
The ASCI had approached the advertiser for their response in addressing the grievances of the complainants and forwarded the details of the complaints, verbatim, to the advertiser with a request to respond to the same. The advertiser was offered an opportunity for personal meeting/telecon with the ASCI Secretariat and were also provided an option for “Informal Resolution” (IR) of the complaint by deleting the objected visuals in the advertisement. However, the advertiser did not opt for an IR and submitted their written response.
The advertiser in their response submitted that a humorous tone was adopted in their advertisement to communicate their brand / product benefits. At the beginning of the advertisement, the woman has served tea to her husband and is happily smiling when her husband responds to his neighbour that he is undertaking chemical water proofing. Further, the advertisement showcases the husband and wife going through their life journey while continually facing a problem of seepage. As in a natural relationship, she seeks her husband’s attention by turning his face towards her while he is speaking to their neighbour. Once she has expressed her concern to him, she turns his face back towards their neighbour for him to continue their conversation, one which she had originally interrupted. To the advertiser, this was a normal interaction devoid of any violence / mal intent between the couple and not at all a slap as alleged by the complainants. At the end of the advertisement, it is seen that when the husband applies Asian Paints – Damp Proof both husband and wife happily dance together in the rain.
The CCC viewed the YouTube advertisement (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxesJcgwXPY) and considered the complainant’s concerns as well as the advertiser’s response. The CCC noted that the advertisement depicts two neighbours carrying out waterproofing repairs of their respective terrace, the protagonist who uses chemical waterproofing and the neighbour who uses the advertiser’s product. The advertisement depicts the problems faced by the person who used chemical waterproofing for the terrace. Because of the persistent leakage, the protagonist’s wife is unhappy about the situation and angrily gives him an ultimatum that if the leakage persists, he will have to sleep on the terrace.
The CCC did not agree with the advertiser’s contention that the situation was depicted in a humorous manner. The CCC further observed that the woman’s face in the advertisement portrays anger, grimacing and is not light-hearted as asserted by the advertiser. The wife’s action results in the baby getting scared and starts to cry as well. The CCC did not agree with the advertiser’s submission that the wife’s act was meant to catch the attention of the husband. It depicted a much more serious tone that not only was demeaning and disrespectful in nature but also resembles the act of slapping thus normalizing violence. The CCC agreed with the complainant’s feedback that if a similar situation was depicted by reversing the gender, the advertisement would have been considered to be in contravention of Chapter II of the ASCI code. In the context of the advertised product, the objected visuals could have been easily avoided.
Based on this assessment, the CCC concluded that the TVC and the YouTube advertisement contravened Chapter III of the ASCI code. The Complaint was UPHELD.
We have advised the advertiser to suitably modify or withdraw the said advertisement by May 27, 2020. If you continue to see the advertisement with the objected visuals being published beyond the due date, kindly bring this to our attention.
You may note that while ASCI believes in persuasion to ensure compliance by advertiser, in case of continued non-compliance, alternate remedies are also available to complainants to approach other appropriate forums such as State Consumer Forum or National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC).
Thank you for having referred this complaint to us.
Assuring you of our services in the pursuit of Self-Regulation in Advertising.
Yours faithfully,
XXXXXXXX
Executive Assistant – Complaints Handling
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Though this is not the first time that Asian paints have resorted to spreading malice against men but this time the response against their misandry has increased much more. I am expecting that soon they will either fall in line or fall out of male consumers purchase list.
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