Godrej Consumer Products Limited. - Godrej No. 1

Recommendation: Upheld | Medium: Industry Member

The CCC-R panel viewed the wall painting advertisement and considered the advertiser’s submissions for Review. The CCC-R panel observed that the claim (in Hindi), “Sabse Bada Sabun” is qualified by a disclaimer, which says, “Poore Bharat mein Rs.10 mein uplabdh Grade 1 ke top 4 sabunon ki tulna mein. Godrej No. 1 53g sabun. Offer chuninda rajyon ke liye seemit hai.” (“As compared to the top 4 Grade 1 soaps available across India for Rs. 10. Godrej No. 1 53g soap. Offer available in limited states.”). The CCC-R panel discussed that the claim when read in conjunction with the disclaimer appears that the advertiser’s soap (Godrej No.1) is the biggest soap when compared with the top 4 Rs.10/- Grade 1 soaps in India. However the take away for an average consumer would be that Godrej No.1 is the biggest soap available in the market irrespective of grammage, price point, across all the soaps in the country. The CCC-R panel deliberated that the question is whether an average consumer is aware that there are various grades of soaps or how they differ from each other. As a result, when the advertisement claims to be the biggest soap, but qualifies the claim by stating that it only applies to Grade 1 soap, the advertisement is likely to take advantage of the consumer's lack of understanding and knowledge. The CCC-R panel further discussed that the advertisement is misleading by making a claim for a bigger category of soaps and then limiting the claim through a disclaimer to a sub-category of Rs.10/- within the group of Grade 1, just the 'Top 4 brands'. Based on these observations, the CCC-R panel concluded that the claim, “Sabse Bada Sabun”, is misleading and is likely to lead to widespread disappointment in the minds of consumers. The said claim contravened Chapter I, Clause 1.4 and 1.5 of the ASCI Code, and Clause 2 of the ASCI Guidelines For Disclaimers Made In Supporting, Limiting Or Explaining Claims Made In Advertisements. The earlier decision of complaint being Upheld stands on Review.