Social Pill’s newly launched AI tool simplifies self-declarations for advertisers

The Supreme Court of India's mandate on May 7, 2024, requires all advertisers and advertising agencies to submit a self-declaration certificate before publishing or broadcasting any advertisement starting June 18, 2024. This new regulation has sparked significant concern within the advertising and marketing industry due to the additional workload it imposes. The mandate requires advertisers to fill out detailed forms on the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) portal, providing ad descriptions, scripts, and other specific details. Given the sheer volume of ads and the dynamic nature of digital advertising, the industry faces a daunting task in complying with these new requirements.

To address these concerns, Social Pill, a digital marketing agency based in Mumbai, has developed an AI tool built on ChatGPT. This tool aims to ease the burden on advertisers by generating the necessary information for the self-declaration forms. Neelesh R Pednekar, co-founder and head of digital media at Social Pill, explains, "Since this applies to all creatives and advertising, we thought, is there a way to simplify this to try and save time wherever it’s possible? Being an AI-forward agency, we thought this was the best way forward."

Pednekar anticipated the ambiguity and chaos that could arise from the implementation of the self-declaration form and started working on a custom GPT to streamline the process. He emphasizes that Social Pill has always leveraged technology to simplify tasks and make them more efficient. The new tool is designed to significantly reduce the burden on executives managing advertising campaigns by minimizing the time required to fill out the self-declaration forms.

The tool is currently effective for both digital and print ads but only supports static ads at this stage. It assists advertisers in filling out the necessary details on the MIB portal and the Press Council website for self-declaration. Efforts are underway to extend its capabilities to video content, further broadening its utility.

The tool operates through a straightforward process:

1. Upload the Creative: Users can upload their static or print ad creatives directly onto the bot.
2. Generate Content: The AI analyzes the ad, understands its content and intent, and generates the required descriptions and scripts.
3. Copy and Paste: The generated content can be easily copied, edited for specific brand-related information, and pasted into the self-declaration form on the MIB portal.

Pednekar highlights that the tool is completely free for everyone to use, and within a day of its launch, it has already received hundreds of queries. He also mentions that the tool will be updated in line with the clarifications expected on July 9, 2024, regarding the mandate.

Several media and advertising industry bodies have voiced concerns about the implementation and practicalities of the mandate. The industry is grappling with the increased workload required for self-declaration for each advertisement. The process, which involves filling out detailed forms with specific ad details, is challenging due to the large volume of advertisements and the fast-paced nature of digital advertising.

Social Pill’s AI tool offers a much-needed solution to these challenges, simplifying the self-declaration process and allowing advertisers to focus more on creative aspects rather than administrative tasks. By leveraging AI technology, Social Pill demonstrates how innovation can address regulatory challenges and streamline industry processes.