Manisha Kapoor on Leading ASCI and Navigating the Digital Advertising Landscape

Manisha Kapoor, CEO of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), champions transparency and integrity in advertising. With over 25 years of cross-sectoral experience, she shares insights on emerging advertising trends, data privacy, and how ASCI adapts to digital media and influencer marketing. Her dedication to ethical advertising and innovative strategies positions her at the forefront of industry transformation.

 

Can you tell us about your career journey and how you became involved with ASCI?

I started my career in marketing at Hindustan Lever and Johnson & Johnson, focusing on operational roles for over a decade. Shifting into consulting for about 15 years, I worked across diverse industries—from media and banking to aviation. Serving as a jury member for the ASCI Consumer Complaints Council introduced me to ASCI. In 2020, I was offered the opportunity to lead ASCI, leveraging my familiarity with its operations. The challenge to steer ASCI towards greater relevance and innovation excited me, and I’ve been dedicated to this role for about three and a half years now.

What do you think are some of the emerging trends in advertising that ASCII is focusing on?

I think digital media is a major focus for us. This includes advertising disguised as influencer activities, which is a significant area of interest. We have also addressed dark patterns in UI/UX designs that can manipulate consumer choices. Currently, we’re looking into data privacy, AI, and ethics. The challenges of digital media are certainly capturing our attention, and we strive to stay updated on the latest developments and technologies to understand their impact on consumer protection. These areas are definitely our primary focus.

 

How do you think ASCI can enhance data privacy for consumers, given the increasing concern around this issue?

Data privacy is a significant concern for everyone. At ASCI, we believe in enhancing consumer data privacy through informed consent, allowing consumers control over what they share, how much they share, and with whom. Although sharing information can benefit consumers, the ultimate choice should rest with them. New regulations are emerging in this area, reflecting these concerns. While some progress has been made with the enactment of laws, further rules are yet to be notified. As we advance, we aim to gain a more detailed understanding of data privacy and how it can be effectively regulated.

How is ASCI responding to the growth of digital advertising and influencer marketing?

ASCI is adapting to the rise of digital advertising and influencer marketing in several ways. We aim to stay ahead of the conversation by engaging in foundational work, which involves multiple stakeholder discussions on issues like privacy and AI. We focus on understanding stakeholder views and building consensus on necessary protections and emerging areas of concern.

In particular, we collaborate closely with digital platforms and technology developers. It’s crucial to address these issues at the design stage because of the widespread and growing use of digital media. Our goal is to work with technology developers and platform operators to create approaches that prioritize consumer protection, data protection, and data privacy from the outset.

 

How is the rise of digital media affecting standards and regulations in India? 

Digital advertising faces significant scrutiny. Regulators, including ASCI and the government, are addressing emerging issues by mapping and collaborating with industry and tech providers to mitigate problems early on. Systemic corrections and technological enhancements, like automated content moderation, are essential to ensure ads meet standards before public release. These challenges are global but are especially critical in India due to widespread digital adoption across all socioeconomic strata, age groups, and educational backgrounds.