India
ASCI launches AdWise, a school programme aimed at building advertising literacy among 1 mn kids: In a major step toward empowering young digital citizens, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has launched AdWise, a nationwide school programme designed to strengthen advertising literacy among children. Introduced under the ASCI Academy, the initiative aims to reach 1 million students across 2,000 schools by the end of 2026.
A Nationwide Push for Smarter, Safer Media Consumption
Since its rollout in September, AdWise has already trained over 1,14,000 students across seven states and 240 schools. With digital exposure increasing at an unprecedented pace, the programme focuses on equipping children in Grades 3 to 8 with the critical thinking skills needed to recognize, question, and evaluate advertising in both online and offline environments.
Importantly, ASCI Academy is tracking improvements through structured assessments. The results are striking:
- Grades 3–5 showed a 59%–86% increase in correct responses related to advertising literacy.
- Grades 6–8 showed an even higher 57%–95% improvement, demonstrating the programme’s strong impact.
Addressing a Critical Gap in Digital-Age Education
With the tagline “Smart Kids. Smart Choices.”, AdWise tackles a growing challenge—children today are digital natives but often lack the awareness to navigate seamless, immersive, and sometimes misleading advertising. The programme aims to reduce their vulnerability to potentially harmful content by giving them tools to differentiate between ads and organic media.
ASCI is currently preparing an ethnographic report exploring how Gen Alpha (ages 7–15) perceives, interprets, and engages with advertising. Children form a crucial target audience for marketers, making it essential to strengthen their defenses against deceptive messaging.
Leadership Speaks: Preparing a More Informed Generation
Manisha Kapoor, CEO and Secretary General of ASCI, emphasized the urgency of the initiative.
“Children today are exposed to advertising in ways fundamentally different from previous generations. They may not have the cognitive abilities to navigate persuasive marketing, yet they face these messages constantly. With AdWise, we are helping children, parents, and teachers understand advertising’s influence and make responsible media choices,” she said.
Expanding Across India
After a successful pilot, AdWise is expanding rapidly across major cities including Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Lucknow, Varanasi, Indore, Bhopal, Patna, Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Kolkata. ASCI’s execution partner for the programme is School Health Annual Report Programme (SHARP), a leading NGO.
Phase 2 will extend the programme to Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Punjab, Assam, and Karnataka, while continuing to deepen engagement in existing states.
Interactive, Age-Appropriate Learning Modules
The curriculum includes one-hour workshops tailored for two groups:
Grades 3–5:
- Understanding what advertisements are
- Recognizing persuasive intent
- Identifying where ads appear
- Differentiating ads from content
- Learning to question advertising claims
- Building awareness of choice and influence
Grades 6–8:
- Studying persuasive techniques and influencer marketing
- Exploring digital safety
- Analysing case studies and various ad formats
The programme includes facilitator-led presentations, gamified activities, handbooks, and videos. Parents also receive tips and checklists to continue the conversation at home. Materials are currently available in English, Hindi, and Marathi, with Tamil and Kannada translations in progress.
Building a Future of Informed Young Consumers
With AdWise, ASCI is laying the foundation for a generation of children who can make informed, thoughtful decisions about the media they consume. As advertising becomes increasingly sophisticated, this initiative marks a significant investment in the wellbeing and safety of India’s youth.
