Surrogate Advertising

What is Surrogate Advertising? Surrogate Advertising is duplicating the brand image of one product extensively to promote another product of the same brand. The essential function of surrogate advertising is the brand recall.

Why Surrogate Advertising? Because some of the products were banned by the Government of India from advertising under various laws. For example, as per the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 and Rules, it was stated that “No advertisement shall be permitted which promotes directly or indirectly production, sale or consumption of cigarettes, tobacco products, wine, alcohol, liquor or other intoxicants”.

Why there is a ban on advertising of tobacco or liquor? This ban was enforced after extensive research from the Indian Ministry of Health found that cigarettes and liquor have adverse effect on a person’s health.

Alcohol delivers its buzz by impairing the brain. Long term heavy drinking is the most important and preventable risk factor for dementia. Drinking heavily will worsen depression. Even a light habit of alcohol significantly increases the risk of mouth, upper throat, oesophageal, larynx and breast cancers.

It is particularly hazardous to combine drinking with smoking. Alcohol acts as a solvent for the carcinogens in cigarettes, creating a risk that is greater than the sum of its parts.

Alcohol’s risks extend beyond drinkers. Drinkers are also responsible for injuries to others because of accidents, impaired driving, abuse and violence.

How Government is preventing the consumption of tobacco or liquor: Mainly through films wherein it is mandatory to show a clip-on effect of tobacco. Further, it is to be stated before titles that tobacco causes cancer and liquor consumption is injurious to health. Wherever in the film, any character is drinking or smoking, the screen has to contain a warning that this is injurious to health. Further, on the cigarette packets, danger signal is to be printed. 

By doing all these things, the Government is unable to stop consumption of these items. But, the moot point is, why doesn’t the Government ban these items from selling? There is no answer. Probably the Government wants the revenue from these items in the form of taxes but at the same time, wants itself to position as a champion of public health. But, there should not be any trade-off between public health and revenue. In case where public health is involved, revenue should not be given any preference whatsoever.

Further, it goes without saying that a person whom is smoking tobacco is a health hazard not only for himself but for the people around him.

A drunken person is a hazard for the other people through his driving, his misbehaviour with other people and his short temper which can cause grievous hurt to others. To conclude, drinking promotes crimes in society which cannot be accepted under any circumstances.

Forms of Surrogate Advertising:

1.    Sponsorship of Teams: The companies are sponsoring teams like Pro Kabaddi, Hockey League, etc. The details are given below:

Note: IPL team Royal Challengers Bangalore has United Spirits as sponsor but in a suit, the Supreme Court held that the naming of the team as Royal Challengers, is not surrogate advertising.

2.    Sponsorship of Events, Fashion Shows etc: Examples are Wills Lifestyle India fashion week, Godfrey Phillips National Bravery Awards (formerly Red & White Bravery Awards), Teacher’s Achievement Awards, etc. to name a few.

3.    Direct Surrogate Advertising in TV, Print Media, Online etc: There are very well known surrogate advertisements coming in television like Smirnoff (ostensibly for CDs), Royal Stag (ostensibly for music), Kingfisher Premium (ostensibly for packaged drinking water), Imperial Blue superhits, 502 Pataka (ostensibly tea but actually bidi), Kingfisher for Calendar, McDowells (Club Soda ostensibly), No.1 Yaari (tv show promoting No.1 brand of McDowells), etc. to name a few.

Why surrogate advertising needs to be banned: Surrogate advertising may or may not promote non-smokers or non-drinkers to take up smoking or drinking. But this will surely promote the brand recall among smokers or drinkers. This needs to be avoided so that smokers and drinkers will stop smoking and drinking and eventually, less and less people will be affected with diseases associated with smoking and drinking. This is only possible if the Government brings in new legislation to curb the surrogate advertising.