The 2025 ICAS Global Dialogues Summit in Mumbai became a historic moment for the Indian advertising ecosystem. The ASCI Academy secured a double victory at the prestigious ICAS Global Awards. With a strong focus on responsible and inclusive storytelling, the Academy bagged both the DEI Award and the Excellence Award. With these awards, ASCI is further cementing India’s role in setting global advertising standards. This win marks an important milestone for ASCI at Global ICAS Awards and the industry’s journey towards equitable advertising.
A win for DEI: Shaping progressive advertising narratives
ASCI Academy’s DEI Award is more than a title; it is a recognition of years of sustained effort in pushing diversity, equity, and inclusion into the mainstream of Indian advertising. Beginning with GenderNext in 2021, the journey evolved through impactful projects. GenderNext was a bold report that unpacked stereotypes of women in ads. The other projects, like GenderGains and the collaborative Mainstreaming Diversity and Inclusiveness in Advertising report (2023), were created with Kantar and the Unstereotype Alliance.
ASCI’s D&I Edge Summit, featuring over 200 professionals and 35 global voices, became a defining moment in the industry. In 2024, the Academy went a step further. They launched a qualitative study exploring masculinity and AI in Indian advertising. This topic is often overlooked but deeply connected to gender portrayals. That report was released at the Global Adda on March 19, 2025.
Conscious patterns and the fight against deceptive design
The Excellence Award was awarded for ASCI Academy’s ground-breaking study: “Conscious Patterns: A study of deceptive patterns in top Indian apps.” This research is the first of its kind in India. It studied 53 top apps with over 21 billion downloads using 12,000+ screenshots. The findings were shocking:
- 52 out of 53 apps had at least one dark pattern.
- 79% showed privacy deception.
- 100% of e-commerce apps blocked account deletion easily.
- 80% of health-tech apps used false urgency.
This report is a foundational step in creating guidelines for ethical app design. It shows ASCI’s resolve to expand beyond traditional media into emerging digital ecosystems. The idea is to ensure inclusivity, transparency, and user rights in tech-driven communication.
ASCI at Global ICAS Awards: What this recognition means
Receiving these awards during a summit that welcomed advertising regulators from over 17 countries underscores ASCI’s growing influence globally. Topics like AI in advertising, digital trust, and gender representation are central to the summit. It shows that India is no longer just participating but leading the charge.
Manisha Kapoor, CEO & Secretary General, ASCI, said:
This is a recognition of the path-breaking, collaborative work that we are proud to spearhead. Responsible advertising begins with data, but thrives through community and industry-wide change.
Changeincontent’s take: India is writing the rulebook
For decades, the conversation around DEI in advertising has existed in fragments. However, ASCI’s consistent work, acknowledged at the ICAS Global Awards, is more than checkboxes and campaigns. It is systemic.
At Changeincontent, we see this as a rare moment of accountability and momentum. Whether it is gender representation, bias in digital design, or advertising that reflects real India — this is how change begins.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are based on the writer’s insights, supported by data and resources available both online and offline, as applicable. Changeincontent.com is committed to promoting inclusivity across all forms of content. We broadly define inclusivity as media, policies, law, and history—encompassing all elements that influence the lives of women and marginalised individuals. Our goal is to promote understanding and advocate for comprehensive inclusivity.
