ASCI Promotes “Responsible Influencing” With Its E-Learning Course For Creators

Content creators and influencers have attained a position of power in the media industry through their influence today. This makes it essential to ensure that they are influencing their audience responsibly. That’s where the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) comes in. ASCI Academy, the training arm of ASCI, launched “The Responsible Influencing Playbook,” an ASCI Certified Course.

Their aim is to educate and empower influencers with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote responsible advertising practices. As the influencer industry continues to evolve, its impact is growing in the world of brand promotions. Known for its commitment to promote ethical advertising standards, ASCI took up this initiative to address the growing need for accountability and transparency in the world of content creation.

Also Read: The Fragile Scent of Ethics: Brands and Their Moral Compass

A Strategic Partnership

ASCI recognises the importance of equipping influencers with the tools they need to create authentic and compliant content. Passionate about all things digital, Social Nation is an online community that celebrates content, creators and their fans. ASCI and Social Nation have partnered to raise awareness about responsible influencing practices amongst the cohort of content creators. 

By leveraging Social Nation’s platform and ASCI’s expertise in advertising standards, this collaboration seeks to enhance industry standards and promote transparency in influencer marketing campaigns. ASCI aims to reach a wider audience of influencers and content creators by providing them access to expert-led training and resources through this partnership. 

What The Course Entails

The interactive, two-hour course is broken into 21 small snippets which cover diverse topics. It covers key topics such as disclosure guidelines, consumer protection laws, best practices for creating responsible and trustworthy content, and a lot more. As an influencer, working with brands can sometimes cause you to overlook ethical endorsement practices unintentionally. This course serves as a friendly guide to ensure your influence is responsible and ethical. 

Here, you learn the following:

• Understand what’s legal and authentic.
• Share honest endorsements that your followers will love.
• Apply the proper guidelines for disclosing your association with a product, service, or brand.
• Know your legal obligations and keep yourself protected.
• Join to enhance your skills in ethical endorsements and disclosure, contributing to a community built on trust and credibility.
• Decode core concepts of influencer marketing.
• Get a nuanced understanding of the ASCI code and guidelines with relevant case examples.
• A dedicated section focuses on addressing issues like who should disclose, how and why to disclose and the specific requirements for disclosures.
• Learn topics like influencer archetypes, brand engagement checklist, and more.

What Do Influencers Get Out Of It?

The course is crafted to equip influencers, content creators, agencies and influencer marketing experts with the knowledge and skills needed ensure that they are on the right side of ethical advertising. Upon successful course completion and assessment, participants will be awarded the ‘Responsible Influencing Certificate’.

“The Responsible Influencing Playbook” is now available on the ASCI Academy platform, offering a comprehensive learning experience for influencers across various industries. To learn more about the course and enrol, click here. To learn more about the ASCI Academy, visit: www.ascionline.in/academy

Manisha Kapoor, CEO and Secretary General of ASCI, said, “With so many young and new content creators, it is an exciting time for the advertising industry. It is important that consumer and brand trust remains high in this exciting channel of communication. Influencers who take the course can be more confident in their endorsements. We also expect brands to prefer creators who have shown their commitment to honest influencing by doing this course.”

About ASCI:

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), established in 1985, is committed to the cause of self-regulation in advertising, ensuring the protection of consumer interests. ASCI seeks to ensure that advertisements conform to its Code for Self-Regulation, which requires advertisements to be legal, decent, honest, and truthful and not hazardous or harmful while observing fairness in competition.

ASCI looks into complaints across ALL MEDIA such as Print, TV, Radio, hoardings, SMS, Emailers, Internet/website, product packaging, brochures, promotional material point of sale material, etc. The organisation has collaboratively worked with various Government bodies including The Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA), the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the Ministry of AYUSH as well as the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB).

In August 2023, the ASCI Academy, a flagship program of ASCI was launched to build the capacity of all stakeholders in creating responsible and progressive advertising. Their aim is to raise standards of advertising content through training, education, outreach, and research on the preventive aspects of advertising self-regulation.