According to the council, the standards are intended to eliminate damaging gender stereotypes, provide boundaries for inappropriate portrayals, and encourage businesses to promote more progressive gender depictions.
Advertisers should not sexually objectify characters of either gender or show them in a sexually suggestive manner to attract viewing, according to the Advertising Practice Council of India (ASCI). The recommendations are in response to the govt’s ban on Layer’s deodorant commercials.
The guidelines are intended to prevent damaging gender stereotypes, set boundaries for undesirable portrayals, and inspire marketers to start creating more progressive sex role portrayals, according to the council.
They will also encourage advertisers to analyse gender portrayals in their marketing by building empathy and providing a guideline to guard against implied prejudices that creep into advertising, according to the council.
While the standards are geared toward women, they also include guidelines for portraying males and other genders. It went on to say that gender depiction is a complicated topic, and that the criteria were put in place to protect everyone’s rights and sensibilities.
The rules apply to advertisements that may harm persons or society.
The council underlined that the recommendations are not intended to prohibit advertisements from employing people as long as the treatment does not harm individuals’ or groups’ sensitivities.
It went on to say that using comedy or banter will probably solve the underlying problem of damaging stereotypes.
While advertisements may depict people in gender-stereotypical roles, such as a woman cleaning the mansion or a man going to work, or showcasing gender stereotypical characteristics, such as a man being forceful or a woman being sensitive to the other’s needs, they must not imply that these roles or characteristics are:
always uniquely associated with a specific sexual identity; the only options that are available to a particular gender; or the only options that are available to a particular gender. never performed or exhibited by a person of different gender (s).
While commercials may portray glamorous and beautiful people, they must not imply that one’s happiness or mental well-being is contingent on conforming to idealised gender-stereotypical body forms or physical attributes.
Adverts should not make fun of persons who don’t fit sexist stereotypes, their sexual orientation, or their gender identity, even if the setting is meant to be amusing, bombastic, or exaggerated.
Advertisements should not perpetuate unrealistic or unfavourable gender stereotypes or expectations.
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