ASCI sticks to its stance on ‘Airtel 4G challenge’ ad

Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has upheld its decision asking Airtel to withdraw or modify its ‘Fastest network challenge’ campaign, calling it misleading.

However, the decision will have no impact on the telecom operator because it has already stopped airing the campaign after running it for the earlier scheduled time period.

The campaign ‘Airtel Challenge’ projected Airtel 4G as being the fastest network and proposed that if a consumer can find a faster data network, their mobile bills will be paid by Airtel for life. “The advertising campaign was only for a few weeks and the company has completed the scheduled slots on TV channels,” said an industry source.

The ASCI said in a note, seen by BusinessLine , that “In the absence of appropriate disclaimers, the claims made in the advertisements that “Airtel 4G is the fastest network ever” and “If your network is faster, we will pay your mobile bills for life”, are misleading by omission.”

ASCI said it has been noticed that similar challenges can be offered by any service provider where the rest of the providers have feeble signal strengths. “It is clear that the claims made in the advertisement are location dependent. Hence, disclaimers to elaborate this aspect are necessary to qualify the claim of being ‘the fastest',” it said. Airtel had subsequently issued the disclaimer.

Airtel was served a notice by ASCI asking it to withdraw or modify its campaign claiming the fastest 4G network on September 30 after receiving certain consumer complaints, but Airtel sought a review of the order saying it will provide the advertising watchdog with the technical data in support of its advertising claims.

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