In today’s media-saturated environment, individuals are exposed to a large number of advertisements across television, print, and digital platforms. This intense competition has encouraged brands to adopt innovative promotional strategies. However, when direct advertising of certain products is legally restricted, companies often turn to indirect methods. One such method is surrogate advertising.
Surrogate advertising has become especially relevant in industries such as alcohol and tobacco, where direct promotion is restricted due to public health concerns. Therefore, companies use alternative strategies to maintain brand visibility and recall among consumers.
Meaning of Surrogate Advertising
Surrogate advertising refers to a marketing strategy in which a company promotes a different product under the same brand name as a restricted or prohibited product. The main objective is not to promote the substitute product itself, but to indirectly reinforce the brand identity associated with the original product.
For example, a liquor brand may advertise packaged drinking water, soda, or music CDs using the same brand name. Although the advertisement appears to promote a legal product, it actually helps in maintaining brand recall for the restricted product. Thus, surrogate advertising primarily works on the principle of indirect promotion and brand reinforcement.
Background and Emergence
The rise of surrogate advertising is closely linked to increasing regulations on advertising harmful products. In India, restrictions became stronger with the implementation of the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994, under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995.
These rules prohibit direct and indirect advertising of cigarettes, tobacco, alcohol, and other intoxicants under the Programme and Advertising Code. However, they allow advertisements of genuine brand extensions under certain conditions. As a result, companies began promoting legally permissible products under the same brand name.
Earlier efforts to regulate tobacco advertising, such as the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003, further strengthened these restrictions. Consequently, companies increasingly relied on indirect promotional strategies.
Types of Surrogate Advertising
Surrogate advertising appears in several forms, depending on how brands maintain their presence in the market.
- One common form is brand extension, where companies introduce new products such as soda, bottled water, or mouth fresheners under the same brand name as the restricted product. This creates a legal presence while maintaining brand identity.
- Another approach is indirect promotion through sponsorships. Brands associate themselves with sports events, award shows, or cultural programs to maintain visibility without directly advertising the restricted product.
- A third form is reminder advertising, which focuses on reinforcing brand identity using visuals, slogans, or music rather than promoting a specific product.
- All these methods aim to keep the brand active in consumers’ minds despite legal restrictions.
Examples in India
The Indian market provides several examples of surrogate advertising practices.
- Liquor brands such as Kingfisher promote bottled water and soda while maintaining brand visibility through sports sponsorships and lifestyle branding. Similarly, Royal Stag has used associations with cricket and entertainment to remain connected with consumers.
- In the tobacco sector, brands like Vimal and Rajnigandha advertise mouth fresheners or elaichi products while using celebrity endorsements to strengthen brand recall.
- More recently, online betting platforms have also adopted indirect promotional strategies by advertising related services such as sports content or merchandise.
- These examples highlight how companies creatively maintain visibility while complying with legal restrictions.
Legal Framework in India
The regulation of surrogate advertising in India operates through a combination of statutory laws and self-regulatory guidelines.
- The Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994 (Rule 7) prohibit advertisements that directly or indirectly promote tobacco, alcohol, or intoxicating substances. However, advertisements for genuine brand extensions are permitted if they meet specified conditions.
- The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003 restricts all forms of tobacco advertising and promotion.
- The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 addresses misleading advertisements and unfair trade practices.
- In addition, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) Guidelines, 2022 explicitly prohibit surrogate and indirect advertisements for restricted goods and services.
- The Surrogate Advertisements (Prohibition) Bill, 2016 proposed stricter control over such practices. However, it did not become an operative law.
- Thus, the legal framework aims to restrict misleading practices while allowing genuine brand extensions.
Role of ASCI and Self-Regulation
The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) plays a significant role in regulating surrogate advertising through self-regulation.
- ASCI has introduced guidelines to differentiate between genuine brand extensions and surrogate advertisements. According to the ASCI 2023 Guidelines for Qualification of Brand Extension, a product must have a legitimate market presence, proper registration, and measurable sales to qualify as a genuine brand extension.
- This means that companies cannot simply create a symbolic product to promote a restricted brand. Instead, the product must exist independently in the market.
- Through complaint redressal and monitoring mechanisms, the council ensures that advertisements comply with ethical standards and do not mislead consumers.
Ethical Issues in Surrogate Advertising
Surrogate advertising raises important ethical concerns.
- One major issue is deception. Although companies appear to follow legal rules, they indirectly promote restricted products, which can mislead consumers.
- Another concern is consumer manipulation. Advertisers often use celebrity endorsements, emotional appeals, and lifestyle imagery to influence consumer behavior.
- The targeting of young audiences is particularly problematic. By associating restricted products with glamour and success, such advertisements may influence impressionable viewers.
- Therefore, surrogate advertising creates a conflict between marketing objectives and social responsibility.
Impact on Society
The impact of surrogate advertising extends beyond marketing and affects society at multiple levels.
From a public health perspective, it weakens efforts to reduce the consumption of harmful products such as alcohol and tobacco. Moreover, research indicates that indirect promotion and celebrity endorsements significantly influence purchasing behavior, especially among youth (Bora & Goswami, 2024). Over time, such practices normalize the presence of restricted products in everyday life, making them socially acceptable.
Challenges and Contemporary Relevance
Regulating surrogate advertising has become increasingly complex in the digital era.
- Online platforms allow brands to reach audiences through influencer marketing, sponsored content, and social media campaigns. As a result, monitoring such content becomes more difficult.
- In addition, economic considerations, such as revenue generation and employment, make strict enforcement challenging.
- Another key issue is the difficulty in distinguishing between a genuine brand extension and a disguised advertisement.
- Therefore, surrogate advertising continues to remain a significant challenge for regulators.
Conclusion
Surrogate advertising represents a complex intersection of marketing strategy, legal regulation, and ethical responsibility. While it allows brands to maintain visibility under restrictions, it also raises concerns related to transparency, consumer protection, and public health.
References
- Advertising Standards Council of India. (2023). Guidelines for qualification of brand extension – Product or service.
- Advertising Standards Council of India. (n.d.). About ASCI.
- Government of India. (2016). The surrogate advertisements (prohibition) bill, 2016. Rajya Sabha.
- Drishti IAS. (2024). The ethics of deception in surrogate advertising.
- Finshots. (2024). Can brands survive a surrogate advertising ban?
- Saini, A. (2024). Surrogate advertisements: How tobacco companies legally advertise tobacco products.
