Amid an ongoing alleged TRP manipulation controversy, Parle Products has said that it will not advertise on channels which show toxic content. Speaking to Mint, Parle’s senior category head Krishnarao Buddha said channels which promote aggression and toxicity are not where the company wants to put its money. This, he reportedly said, does not favour Parle’s target consumer.
“We are exploring possibilities wherein other advertisers can come together and sort of put a restraint on their advertising spends on news channels, so that there is some sort of a clear signal to all the news channels, that they better change their content,” he told the business daily.
Parle soon began to trend on Twitter, with the company’s decision being widely praised.
Parle Products has decided not to advertise on news channels that broadcast toxic aggressive content.
— Indian Civil Liberties Union (@ICLU_Ind) October 11, 2020
These channels are not the kinds that the company wants to put money into as it does not favour its target consumer.
It's time more companies join the lead of Bajaj and Parle. pic.twitter.com/LNXr9ytmBF
So the G in ParleG does really stand for Genius! #ParleG https://t.co/aft6VeHiyy
— Ria Saksena (@BananasBeer) October 12, 2020
That’s the way!
— Sayema (@_sayema) October 11, 2020
You have a permanent customer in me and my family! #ParleG #Bajaj https://t.co/8dCWw0GaCw
If you want to change the world, change yourself first #ParleG and Bajaj leading from the front and are the epitome of how to introduce change.
— Armaan girdhar (@AlwaysInMood4U) October 12, 2020
Financing #Fakenews, hatchet jobs, sleaze, toxic content.
— Rakesh Sharma (@rakeshfilm) October 11, 2020
Funding hate, intolerance, daily provocations and incitements.
Not the brand association any company/product can afford to have!
Kudos to #ParleG #Bajaj for taking the lead to say No.#Amul: will you too #StopFundingHate? https://t.co/f7cih9RWBi
This comes after Bajaj Auto’s Managing Director Rajiv Bajaj said that his company has blacklisted three channels for advertisements. He told CNBCTV18 that his company’s brand has never associated with anything that they thought was toxic to society.
“Our teams can spot channels and newspapers that are toxic and hate mongering in the society and we can’t find it in ourselves to continue to be supportive of such a medium no matter what repercussions it may have on the business,” he said.
A controversy had erupted after Mumbai police commissioner addressed the media and said three channels were found to be manipulating data to show higher TRPs. Commissioner Param Bir Singh had said that Republic TV and the two Marathi channels were found to have manipulated TRPs. Four persons, including owners of two Marathi channels, have been arrested in connection with the case so far, police said. Two employees of Marathi channels Box Cinema and Fakt Marathi were also summoned by the crime branch of Mumbai police.
The name of the news channel India Today had also emerged, as the First Information Report filed on October 6 quoted a witness saying that he was offered money to view India Today channel. The police had said that while India Today’s name was in the FIR, they had evidence against Republic.