Delhi, June 8, 2022: The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has issued guidelines against gender misunderstandings. ASCI had earlier successfully launched its GenderNext report in October 2021, a study conducted by ASCI and Futurebrands. Guidelines against gender misunderstandings were issued at an event held at the India Habitat Center, chaired by the Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Ms. Asmarti Irani.

Gender imagery is a complex and delicate issue and the guidelines provide an explanation of Chapter III (Harmful Conditions) of the ASCI, which deals with advertisements that may harm individuals or societies. Gender misunderstandings are harmful, as they confine individuals to certain roles and maintain certain conditions that are detrimental to society. Advertising, through subtle and implicit imagery, reinforces certain harmful assumptions and ignores the desires of individuals and groups. According to a recent study by Kanter, 64% of consumers believe that advertisements reinforce gender misconceptions rather than help them.

These guidelines not only focus on women, but also set boundaries for photography of other sexes.

These guidelines encourage advertisers and creators to adopt the SEA (Self-Esteemed – Empowered – Allied) framework, which is based on a 3S (3S) framework, along with empathy and evaluation. Provide a checklist to beware of gender, advertising traps and inherent misconceptions.

This framework can be extremely useful for marketing and advertising professionals who want to improve their advertising return on investment (ROI).

“While many women are happy with the growing change in the advertising industry,” said Hon’ble Minister for Women and Child Development, Ms. Asmarti Zobin Irani, at the launch of the Guidelines on Gender Misconceptions. But women, my generation is worried about it. We are a little too impatient. It’s time to step up not only for men but also for women in the advertising industry. Not only to give direction, but now the need for it is clearly visible; at the same time, there is an urgent need for organizations for the work that is going on rapidly in this field. ASCI will lead it, which The action is taken. It should start with its member base. “

Subhash Kamath, Chairman, ASCI, said: “The new guidelines have been developed in close consultation with industry and civil society organizations, including the Unstereotype Alliance and a number of UNICEF stakeholders. ASCI. Is a big step towards

ASACI Guidelines on Gender Misconceptions in Advertising:

1. ASCI will consider the potential impact of an ad only when the ad is presented as a whole and within context.

2. ASCI will consider misunderstandings based on the perspectives of the group of stereotypes.

3. The basic problem of this kind of harmful misunderstanding cannot be overcome by using humor or jokes.

4. The instructions are not intended to prevent advertisements from showing the following:

aAttractive, attractive, successful, aspiring or healthy people or lifestyle;

BAds for products designed and targeted to only one gender, including a specific gender;

C.By challenging the harmful effects of gender stereotypes on gender stereotypes.

Advertising should not contain gender misunderstandings that could lead to harm or serious or widespread crime.

1. Advertisements may show people who play gender stereotypes, such as a woman cleaning the house or a man going to the office, or showing gender stereotypes, such as emphasis on men. And being dominant or woman is in the possession of others. Be sensitive to stereotypical character or feature requirements, but do not suggest:

Always associated with a particular gender;

There are options available only for a specific gender; Either way

It is never found or shown in any other genre.

1.1 Advertising targeting / featuring children may target and depict a specific gender, but these advertisements should not show any particular product, hobby, behavior, or activity of the child, including The choice of sport or career is inappropriate for one or the other sex, such as the boy’s stereotype being “enthusiastic” or the girl’s stereotype being “sensitive”, or the boy forbidding boys from playing with dolls or girls. The person is prohibited from jumping because it is not a normal activity related to gender, so such advertisements are possible. There is a problem

2. Advertisements may show attractive and attractive people, but they should not suggest that a person’s happiness or emotional well-being depends on their ideal gender stereotypes, body size or physical characteristics.

3. Advertising should not make fun of people who do not conform to gender stereotypes. People should also not be ridiculed because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, including references that are intended to make fun, exaggerate, or exaggerate. As such, a man cannot be underestimated in an ad for stereotyping a female character or acting or making fun of a homosexual relationship.

4. Advertising should not reinforce unrealistic and unpopular gender views or expectations. Thus, the ad should not show a man sitting comfortably and family members messing around the house, and a woman cleaning up the mess alone, or a woman asking a man to help her with daily chores. ۔ Similarly, a woman returning from work cannot be held fully responsible for household chores while others around her are resting.

5. An advertisement cannot suggest that a person is unable to perform a task, especially because of his gender, for example, a man is unable to change a child’s handkerchief. Or the woman is unable to park. Generally in categories targeting a particular gender, care must be taken not to discriminate against another gender or to present them as unable to understand the product or to make decisions. Go If advertising is used as a means to challenge these stereotypes, then this guideline does not prevent it from appearing.

6. Where an advertisement shows a person whose physical constitution or physical characteristics do not match the ideal stereotype of his gender, the advertisement should not mean that his physical constitution or physical characteristics are his. There are failures. Such as their romance, social or work life. For example, an advertisement may not suggest that a thin man, a thin woman, or any overweight person may have difficulty finding a job or a partner because of this aspect of their body. Is.

7. Advertisements should not include sexual orientation of characters of any gender or should be portrayed as sexually provocative and objective in order to arouse sexual excitement in the audience. This will also include contextual language or visual therapies that are completely unrelated to the product. Thus, an online takeaway service featuring a picture of a woman wearing lingerie in provocative poses behind various fast food items would be considered a problem. Even if the image of the woman is not sexually explicit, the advertisement still uses the provocative image of the woman to portray women as sex objects that are completely unrelated to the product being advertised. Is. A stereotype that has the potential to cause harm.

8. No gender should be encouraged to dominate or dominate others through open or covert threats, real force or derogatory language or tone. Advertisements may not incite or emphasize gender-based violence (physical or emotional), illegal or anti-social behavior. In addition, advertisements should not encourage or explain jokes, teasing, stalking, emotional or physical harassment, or similar offenses. If advertising is used as a means to challenge these stereotypes, then this guideline does not prevent it from appearing.

Visit ASCI’s official website https://ascionline.in for more details on the guidelines.