ASCI Guidelines for Influencers: A Disclosure and Compliance Checklist for Brands and Creators
Influencer marketing has moved from experiment to standard practice for Indian brands. A skincare label sends products to creators, a restaurant invites food bloggers for a tasting, and a fintech app pays finance creators to explain its features. But with this growth has come scrutiny. Audiences want to know when a recommendation is paid, regulators want advertising to be honest, and brands face real consequences when promotions mislead. Knowing the ASCI guidelines for influencers is now a basic requirement for anyone running or joining a campaign.
Who ASCI is and why its rules matter
The Advertising Standards Council of India is the self-regulatory body for advertising in the country. It publishes codes that advertisers, agencies and media are expected to follow, and it handles complaints about misleading or harmful ads. ASCI's guidelines for influencer advertising were introduced in 2021 and have been updated since, and they work alongside consumer protection rules, including guidelines on endorsements issued by the consumer protection authorities. Complaints can lead to ASCI asking for changes or removal of content, public naming of offenders and referrals to regulators, so the rules affect both brands and creators.
The core principle: disclose material connections
The heart of the guidelines is simple. If there is a material connection between an influencer and a brand, it must be disclosed so that audiences can see the post is advertising. A material connection includes payment, free or discounted products or services, commissions, affiliate arrangements, travel, gifts, event invitations, equity, family or employment relationships, or any benefit that could affect how the audience perceives the endorsement.
Even when a brand gives only a free sample and does not demand a positive review, the connection must be disclosed. If there is doubt, disclose.
What good disclosure looks like
ASCI expects disclosures to be prominent, upfront and hard to miss. Commonly accepted labels include terms such as "advertisement", "ad", "sponsored", "collaboration", "partnership", "paid promotion" or "free gift". Vague or confusing labels, or tags buried among dozens of hashtags, do not meet the standard. Disclosure should appear in the content itself, not hidden after a "more" cut-off in a caption.
Format matters. For images, the label should be placed clearly on the image or at the very beginning of the caption. For videos, the disclosure should appear on the video, and for longer videos should be repeated or kept visible, in addition to being spoken or written in the description. For live streams, it should be visible throughout. For Stories and Reels, on-screen text that stays long enough to read is important. Platform tools such as paid partnership labels are helpful, but ASCI has indicated that they may not be enough on their own if the disclosure is not clear to viewers. The language of the disclosure should match the language of the content.
Claims must be truthful and substantiated
Influencers are not exempt from advertising standards on claims. Statements about results, ingredients, performance, savings, income or health benefits must be honest and backed by evidence. Brands should supply approved claim sheets and verify that creators do not exaggerate. Influencers should not promote a product they have not tried or make claims they cannot support. Fake reviews, fake follower counts and fake engagement are misleading too.
Before and after images, testimonials and demonstrations must reflect genuine, typical results, or clearly state that results vary.
Special care in health, finance and children's content
Sensitive categories attract stricter expectations. ASCI introduced additional rules requiring influencers who promote health and nutrition products, or give financial advice, to show relevant qualifications or certifications where claims are made, and to include appropriate disclaimers. Brands in these sectors should select creators carefully and review scripts. Advertising aimed at children needs extra caution, with no encouraging unsafe behaviour or exploiting trust. Prohibited and regulated products, including some categories of alcohol, tobacco and gambling-related promotion, face legal restrictions, so check applicable law before any campaign.
Responsibilities of brands and agencies
Brands cannot simply blame creators for disclosure failures. Advertisers and agencies share responsibility for ensuring content complies. Good practice includes written agreements that require disclosure and truthful claims, briefing creators on the guidelines, reviewing content before posting, monitoring published posts and requiring corrections quickly when something is wrong. Keep records of contracts, approvals and claim substantiation in case a complaint arises.
Responsibilities of creators
Creators should disclose every sponsored relationship, avoid promoting products they would not use, be honest about experiences and keep proof of claims. If a brand asks you to hide the connection, decline. Building audience trust is more valuable than any single payment, and violations can harm long-term earning power.
A practical compliance checklist
Include a disclosure clause and approved labels in every contract. Provide creators with verified claims and prohibited phrases. Require disclosure at the start of captions and on-screen in videos. Check that the language matches the audience. Review content before posting, and screenshot final posts. Monitor comments for questions about authenticity. Correct or remove non-compliant content promptly. Train internal teams and agencies on updates, since guidelines change.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to disclose a free product I was not asked to review?
Yes, if you receive something of value from a brand and post about it, disclose the connection.
Is the platform's partnership tag enough?
Not necessarily. A clear disclosure in the content itself is also expected.
Do the rules apply to small creators?
Yes. The guidelines apply regardless of follower count.
Run influencer campaigns with confidence
OM Enterprises plans influencer campaigns with clear briefs, compliant disclosures and performance tracking. Talk to our influencer marketing team.