In an ecosystem where even a moisturiser needs a disclaimer and influencers can sell you everything from crypto to hair oil by breakfast, trust has quietly become India’s most oversold but least delivered. Somewhere between “link in bio” and “use my code”, consumers started wanting less clever content and more clean communication. So, ASCI has decided to step in with something that looks deceptively simple, a small visual badge called the Commitment Seal.
But can a seal really change a culture? Or will it become just another sticker in an ocean of stickers?
Manisha Kapoor, CEO & Secretary General, ASCI, is clear about one thing: the seal isn’t a shiny stamp of approval for individual ads. It’s a signalling tool for intent.
“The seal is not an endorsement of a specific advertisement, collateral or any sort of communication,” she explains. Instead, “it signals that the organisation is dedicated to creating responsible advertising and will remain responsive to a fair resolution of issues raised about their ads.”
ASCI sees this as a way to inspire an industry-wide behavioural shift rather than a superficial display of membership. Kapoor believes that by encouraging advertisers to display it, the idea of accountability can spread across the ecosystem particularly at a time when influencer-driven content is blurring lines faster than regulations can keep up.
And crucially, the seal doesn’t exempt anyone from scrutiny. When asked how ASCI plans to handle violations in influencer-led ads, Kapoor emphasises the existing system: “ASCI’s independent grievance mechanism remains the safeguard.” Even for brands posting the seal, “any consumer concerns would be addressed through ASCI’s established and independent process.”
In other words, the seal is a promise — not a free pass.
Vigyan Verma, Founder of The Bottom Line and a fractional CMO, believes the seal serves dual agendas. On one hand, it encourages fair advertising. On the other, he admits, “the ASCI Commitment Seal is perhaps also a tool for visibility of ASCI itself, and to expand its membership.” With many advertisers still outside its fold, Verma says, “This is possibly a way to get the next league of advertisers into its fold, and thereby make a bigger impact in promoting fair advertising practices.”
However, he doesn’t view this cynically, he sees potential for practical change. “Brands can form internal checkpoints at the creative briefing, and finished content stages to ensure no occurrence of common malpractices,” he notes. These include the usual industry sins: misleading claims, undisclosed endorsements, disparaging competitors.
According to him, adoption will depend heavily on momentum. “It will need to be seeded first by some highly visible brands,” he says. In high-trust sectors like healthcare, BFSI, and personal care, this could be a differentiator. Established brands may use it to reinforce credibility, while newer ones may use it to build consideration from scratch.
If early adopters show results, others will follow. If not, the seal may remain a club badge, neat, but not transformative.
For Amit Relan, CEO and Co-founder, mFilterIt, the Commitment Seal holds real potential but only if brands treat it as a behavioural shift rather than a marketing element.
“The Seal has the potential to be far more than a symbolic badge but its real impact will depend on how seriously brands choose to embrace it,” he says. In today’s environment, where trust itself has become a metric, he believes responsible brands will use it meaningfully.
He’s pragmatic about compliance too. Most brands won’t need to reinvent their systems, but they will need to professionalise them. “It will reinforce discipline rather than demand a complete overhaul,” he says. Compliance today varies unevenly across markets, teams, and campaign cycles. The seal, he argues, brings consistency.
And will consumers care? Relan doesn’t think the seal is something people will actively hunt for. “Consumers won’t look for the Seal initially, but they will feel its impact in the long run.” If claims become clearer and communication cleaner, trust will follow even if audiences don’t consciously connect that to the seal.
To him, the only real danger is performative adoption. “Any industry initiative risks becoming performative if not backed by action,” he says. But brands can avoid that by embedding responsibility “into creative workflows, reviewing claims rigorously, and ensuring every touchpoint aligns with ASCI’s expectations.”
Sumit Kapoor, Brand Growth Consultant believes, “The Commitment Seal will do exactly what every voluntary badge does: it'll separate those who were already playing clean from those who never intended to,” he says. But the real issue, he points out, is incentives. “Right now, the math is brutally simple. When 49% of advertisers don't even contest ASCI's findings… one is looking at an industry that's already factored violations into the cost of doing business.”
For Kapoor, the seal will only matter when platforms enforce it, consumers recognise it, and violations hurt revenue. Otherwise, it becomes “a sorting mechanism, not a solution.”
He goes deeper into the psychology of compliance, “Compliance is a power structure, not a training video.” If internal pressures to deliver results outweigh regulatory consequences, he argues, nothing will change. “Until the 'Stop' button holds more authority than the 'Launch' button, we're just collecting badges on our way to the next violation report.” he said.
The Commitment Seal may look like just another tiny icon fighting for space between QR codes, logos, and brand taglines. But unlike everything else cluttering a screen, this one doesn’t promise glow-ups, cashback, or instant results. It promises something far harder to deliver: honesty.
Whether it becomes the industry’s new conscience or just another sticker brands slap on their ads depends on what happens next, in boardrooms, briefing rooms, and late-night edit suites.
Because at the end of the day, this isn’t about how the seal looks. It’s about whether the people using it are finally ready to mean what they say, and say what they mean.
