What you need to know about Self-Declaration Certificates (SDC)

The Indian advertising landscape is buzzing with discussions on self-certification – the new process that promises to reshape the country’s operations. While this seismic shift within a tight timeframe may seem daunting, embracing the opportunities it presents is crucial. 

Here are a few compelling reasons why self-certification is a positive step forward:

Empowers consumer trust: In many global markets, commercials undergo rigorous clearance processes, particularly for trusted mediums like TV and radio. This scrutiny is essential for consumer protection, ensuring advertisements are truthful, fair, and non-misleading. By enabling informed purchasing decisions, self-certification strengthens public trust in the advertising industry – a win-win for all stakeholders.

Levels the playing field: Consistent advertising standards create a level playing field, preventing unfair competition and unethical practices that could give some advertisers an unfair advantage. Self-regulation allows the industry to adapt to evolving market conditions and consumer expectations, providing a flexible and effective alternative to government-imposed regulations.

It’s future proof: While change can be intimidating, the industry is actually well-equipped to navigate this transition. Tools like Peach, which manage omnichannel content distribution across India and the world, already offer mechanisms to streamline compliance. Agencies and advertisers can actually ensure seamless certification distribution to broadcasters and publishers who will need efficient verification processes.

Drives efficiencies: By leveraging existing technology to distribute assets and certifications simultaneously, there is an organised, structured, and permanent mechanism for viewing, checking, and archiving certifications. Solutions that offer permanent archiving of creatives and certificates within a unified platform can prepare the industry on multiple fronts.

Promotes automation: The way forward — as self-certification becomes the norm, it's the perfect time to evaluate and automate outdated, costly creative and production workflows. With an ever-growing demand for targeted creatives and an increasingly fragmented media landscape, can you afford not to automate and streamline your processes?

Now, what does it mean in real terms for the industry:

All Advertisers must now upload a Self-Declaration Certificate (SDC) for each TV channel, print publication, and digital platform on which an ad appears. This must be uploaded via the MIB's Broadcast Sewa Portal.

This puts businesses under huge pressure to adapt to these changes to avoid legal repercussions. swiftly 

Here are some questions to consider to navigate the transition

• When was the last time you reviewed current advertising workflows and processes?
• Have you explored specialised ad delivery tech that prioritises compliance and ad delivery
• Is your advertising output organised and stored correctly
• Are you in control of your advertising ecosystem

Self-certification presents an exciting opportunity to redefine the Indian advertising industry's standards, fostering trust, innovation, and efficiency. Embracing the change can lead to a more transparent, organised, and consumer-centric advertising landscape. With the right tools and mindset, businesses can navigate this transition seamlessly, positioning themselves for long-term success in the rapidly evolving advertising world.

At Peach, we already work globally in many countries that require strict regulation of every ad. We already deliver much of the ad content in India, and we have added a tool to our ad delivery platform that allows you to attach Self-Declaration Certificates (SDC) when uploading ads. This means your SDC travels with your ad wherever it needs to be. 

Whether you're an advertiser or media owner, Peach Connect solves logistical challenges when managing content delivery. 

For advice on how to deliver your ads with your SDC, get in touch today.