Bharti Airtel has been asked to modify or withdraw the commercial and website advertisement by April 11, 2017
Bharti Airtel's TV commercial advertising its service as the 'Fastest Mobile Network' has been ruled as misleading by Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI). The decision was taken by ASCI's Fast Track Complaints Committe (FTCC) at a meeting held on March 29, 2017. ASCI's decision comes after Reliance Jio had approcahed the watchdog claiming Airtel's TV commercial is misleading.
The advertising watchdog ASCI has asked Bharti Airtel to "modify or withdraw" the commercial and website advertisement by April 11, 2017. Bharti Airtel has said that it disagrees with Advertising Standards Council of India's assessment and is planning to appeal against the decision. "The TVC and web-site advertisement contravened Chapters I.1, 1.4, I.5 and IV.1(b) of the ASCI Code as well as ASCI Guidelines on Disclaimers Clause I. The complaint was upheld. We have advised the Advertiser to modify appropriately or to withdraw the said TVC and the website advertisement by 11th April 2017," ASCI stated in a letter to the complainant.
Bharti Airtel's TV commercial is based on a report from the global leader in broadband testing, Ookla. Advertising Standards Council of India says Ookla's certificate does not provide a test methodology used to determine Airtel as the fastest network. The committee says it considers Ookla's speed test result as representative and is asking Bharti Airtel to modify or withdraw the commercial. Meanwhile, Ookla has said that it stands behind "Airtel being India's Fastest Network".
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