Health, finance influencers get leeway as ad body softens generic promotion rules

The Advertising Standards Council of India (Asci) on Monday updated its 'Influencer Advertising Guidelines' specific to health and finance influencers, by drawing a distinction between generic promotions and promotion of technical aspects of a product or service, which consumers are likely to interpret as expert advice.

- ROSHNI SHEKHAR

Under the updated rules, influencers are not required to have professional qualifications for generic promotions. Generic promotions include promotions such as an insurance company using an influencer to talk about the need for annual health check-ups or a health food company tying up with a chef or a food blogger to promote a meal service, according to Asci's updated guidelines.

Before the update, all influencers providing advice, promoting, or commenting on the merits or demerits of commercial products in banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI), and health and nutrition were required to possess relevant qualifications and certifications, Asci said in a statement.