ASCI appoints Sudhanshu Vats as chairman in milestone year

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has named Sudhanshu Vats, managing director of Pidilite Industries, as its new chairman at its 39th annual general meeting. The appointment comes as the self-regulatory body enters its 40th year in October, a milestone moment for an organisation that has shaped the country’s advertising ethics since 1985.

Joining him on the leadership team are S Subramanyeswar, global chief strategy officer of MullenLowe, as vice-chairman, and Paritosh Joshi, principal at Provocateur Advisory, as honorary treasurer.

Vats framed his new role against the backdrop of technological disruption and heightened scrutiny, stating that ASCI’s role has never been more important. According to him, as advertising evolves with new technologies and formats, it is ASCI’s 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,” Vats said.

He takes over from Partha Sinha, who served as chairman over the past year. The latter positioned ASCI’s trajectory as a shift from oversight to collaboration.

“Over the past years, we have moved from being a watchdog to becoming an enabler of responsible communication — not just policing, but partnering,” Sinha said. “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.”

Marking 40 years with new initiatives

To commemorate its 40th year, ASCI announced a series of initiatives designed to expand its role beyond compliance. These include the launch of AdWise, a children’s advertising and media literacy programme aimed at training over one million school students to critically assess advertising messages. It will also conduct ethnographic research among Gen Alpha to help frame guidelines for advertising targeted at a generation growing up immersed in digital media.

Expansion into Bengaluru and Delhi is on the cards, alongside the release of a comprehensive resource on advertising codes and laws in India, developed in partnership with law firm Khaitan & Co. A podcast series with The Logical Indian and Marketing Minds is also planned. ASCI members will gain access to a new visual asset that can be used in their communication to signal commitment to responsible advertising.

Compliance and credibility

Since its inception in 1985, ASCI has moved from being a voluntary initiative by industry players to a body recognised by regulators and policymakers. Its codes were adopted by Doordarshan, All India Radio, and the Cable TV Act, cementing its influence on mainstream media. Over the years, it has collaborated with ministries including Health, Consumer Affairs, Education, and AYUSH.

Its Consumer Complaints Committee (CCC) continues to serve as the backbone of its operations, issuing recommendations that industry players mostly comply with. In FY 2024–25, compliance rates stood at 98% for print and 97% for television. Digital advertising, however, showed lower compliance at 81%, reflecting the challenges of enforcement in fragmented online ecosystems.

ASCI’s role has also been acknowledged in multiple Supreme Court judgments, adding weight to its credibility as an industry watchdog.

In recent years, ASCI has positioned itself as a knowledge hub. The ASCI Academy was launched to expand its remit from adjudication to education, offering masterclasses for marketers, faculty programmes for media colleges, and advisory services to help advertisers check compliance at the pre-production stage.

Its research output has touched on emerging challenges, including the role of artificial intelligence in advertising, dark patterns in digital interfaces, and the portrayal of masculinity. Reports on influencer trust and digital credibility have been widely cited in industry debates. The body has also issued guidelines on influencer conduct, cryptocurrency promotions, green claims, gender stereotyping, and misleading digital practices. For these efforts, it has received two international awards recognising its role in shaping advertising standards.

Navigating shifts in advertising

Despite its four-decade history, ASCI’s effectiveness is tested in an environment where short-form video, e-commerce marketing, and influencer collaborations dominate consumer attention. The compliance gap in digital advertising remains an issue, raising questions about how far voluntary frameworks can hold back misleading or harmful practices at scale.

ASCI has indicated it will continue building partnerships with global peer bodies and invest in frameworks that account for digital-first realities. It aims to balance enforcement with education, creating avenues for brands to adapt before campaigns go live.

Sinha, reflecting on his tenure, described the organisation’s journey as ongoing. “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,” he said.

For Vats and the new leadership team, the task is to demonstrate relevance in an advertising market where platforms and algorithms increasingly dictate visibility. With initiatives aimed at children, Gen Alpha, and regional expansion, ASCI is signalling that its 40th year will not just be a celebration but a recalibration of its role.

The challenge will be to prove that self-regulation can keep pace with digital commerce and cultural shifts. Whether it succeeds may determine if ASCI remains central to India’s advertising ecosystem or becomes one of many advisory voices in a crowded regulatory environment.

As ASCI marks its 40th year, its push into digital literacy, dark-pattern policing and influencer guidelines puts it squarely in conversations already shaping policy from Brussels to Washington. For India’s ad industry, the test will be whether a voluntary framework can keep pace with AI-fuelled targeting, retail media networks and global regulators demanding more teeth. The next chapter is less about self-congratulation, more about proving self-regulation still works.