CHENNAI: Advertisements can sometimes be misleading, but consumers should use the information available to differentiate between truth and exaggeration, said P Murari, former secretary to President of India and advisor to FICCI President, on Thursday. He also spoke about the need to think of consumer protection vis-à-vis products.“There are four types of advertisements. Some evoke feelings of nostalgia, others want to make consumers gravitate towards their product and some are just humorous while promoting their brand. There is not much problem with these. It is the ones which mislead the viewers which cause problems,” Murari said addressing the World Consumer Rights Day event held at the DG Vaishnav College. He said that people should understand what the product really does rather than blindly follow the advertisement. Dr Stefan Weckbach, Consul General of Germany in Chennai, who was also present at the event, spoke about the perception that competition between companies is more about the advertisements than the products themselves. He also spoke about the information overload on consumers, saying, “With the number of instruments of communication media having gone up, they are being used to reach potential consumers at every turn.”To curtail this, Dr Weckbach suggested that the different media be coordinated, integrated and made consistent, taking into account the role of the consumer which extends beyond purchasing. The Deputy Commissioner (City) North, Department of Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection (DCSCP), S Mohammed Akbar dispelled some myths about ration cards, saying that they do not expire if not used for three or six months or even for a year. A symposium on the advantages and adverse effects of advertising was also held by the Citizen Consumer Club of the college. Advertiser, academician and theatre person Annamalai and J Vijayathilagam, coordinator, Consumer Advice Centre, DCSCP, spoke on the occasion.
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