Shhh... No Condom Ads From 6 am To 10 pm. Kids Are Watching

The I&B Ministry advisory cited the ads as “indecent exposure” for children.

Condom packets in India.

No condom ads on TV channels from 6 am to 10 pm. That’s the latest directive that came from the government on December 11. The directive says these advertisements are "indecent especially for children" and can create "unhealthy practices" among them.

"It has been brought to the notice of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting that some channels carry advertisements of condoms repeatedly which are alleged to be indecent especially for children," an advisory from the ministry said.

The advisory invoked Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994, banning an “advertisement which endangers the safety of children or create in them any interest in unhealthy practices or shows them begging or in an undignified or indecent manner”.

"In view of the above, all TV channels are hereby advised not to telecast the advertisements of condoms which are for a particular age group and could be indecent/inappropriate for viewing by children. Indecent, vulgar, suggestive, repulsive or offensive themes or treatment shall be avoided in all advertisements.”

TV channels can air these ads between 10pm and 6am.

The missive comes after the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) requested the ministry earlier this month to take a call on such ads and their telecast timing.

ASCI’s secretary general, Shweta Parundare told Indian Express that the ASCI had reached out to the ministry to take a call regarding the timing of the ads being aired on channels which are mostly watched by children, because it went “beyond its scope”.

Condom Brand Owners Raise Objections

Several brand-owners have naturally raised strong objections to the move. Raymond, the brand-owner of Karma Sutra condoms stated that “not all condom advertising is indecent”, reports Economic Times.

We follow the ASCI’s code on advertising and subject ourselves to deep internal scrutiny. Indecent advertising whether from condom category or otherwise should be subjected to greater self-regulation.

A company spokesperson told <i>Economic Times </i>

Others like Rohit Ohri of FCB India called the ministry’s move a “misguided reform”, and stated that the ministry’s problem was with the Sunny Leone-featuring Manforce condom ad, reports Economic Times.

The Sunny Leone advertisement is offensive, we should ban that advertisement and not regulate all condom advertisements.

Rohit Ohri told <i>Economic Times </i>

He further added that creating taboos around important issues such as these was not the answer.

The world over, condom advertising is being deregulated to prevent teenage pregnancies. It is now being widely recognised as the need of the hour.

Rohit Ohri told <i>Economic Times </i>

In September 2017, the condom advertisement featuring Sunny Leone drew protests from a Surat-based group. The ad, which was displayed on hoardings across the city and carried a message in Gujarati "play but with love" was heavily shared on social media. City-based group Hindu Yuva Vahini staged a protest at one of the locations where the hoarding was displayed.