The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has appointed Sudhanshu Vats, Managing Director of Pidilite Industries, as its new chairman at the 39th annual general meeting. The appointment has come in a milestone year as ASCI completes 40 years in October.
S Subramanyeswar of MullenLowe Global has been named vice-chairman, while industry veteran Paritosh Joshi, Principal at Provocateur Advisory, has been appointed honorary treasurer.
ASCI has also announced several initiatives to mark its 40th year. These have included the launch of a children’s advertising and media literacy programme to train over a million school students, ethnographic research on Gen Alpha, expansion of its footprint in Bengaluru and Delhi, a comprehensive legal resource in partnership with Khaitan & Co, a podcast series with The Logical Indian and Marketing Mind, and a visual asset for members signalling their commitment to responsible advertising.
Founded in 1985, ASCI has evolved from a voluntary industry initiative to a widely recognised self-regulatory framework. Its code has been adopted under the Cable TV Act, by Doordarshan, All India Radio, and regulators across sectors. The body has partnered with various ministries and maintained a compliance rate of 98% in print, 97% in TV, and 81% in digital during FY 2024-25.
ASCI has also expanded its scope through the ASCI Academy, research reports, and global partnerships. It has issued guidelines on influencer conduct, dark patterns, cryptocurrency, green claims, and gender stereotyping, while also running master classes and advisory services for marketers and agencies.
On the appointment, Vats said, “ASCI’s role has never been more important. As advertising evolves with new technologies and formats, our responsibility is to ensure it is executed with integrity – centered around the product promise, respectful of the community and mindful of consumers. In an environment where trust is easily shaken, self-regulation provides both guidance to the industry and assurance to the public. I look forward to working closely with advertisers, agencies, platforms and consumers to uphold high standards, encourage responsible creativity, and strengthen confidence in advertising. At the heart of this effort is a simple principle — always keep the consumer’s interest front and centre.”
Partha Sinha, the outgoing chairman, added, “My term as chairman may be ending, but ASCI’s journey is continuing with vigour. It is a comma in a sentence that keeps unfolding. Over the past years, we have moved from being a watchdog to becoming an enabler of responsible communication — not just policing, but partnering. We have stepped firmly into the digital arena, because responsibility cannot lag behind technology. And we have begun to expand ASCI’s footprint, reminding ourselves that consumer trust is not an ambition that works in pockets but is a pan-India language. I leave the chair with the comfort that the story continues — and with deep gratitude to my colleagues on the Board and the Secretariat, who ensured that this journey was one of shared purpose and collective strength.”
