The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has introduced AdWise, a national consumer education initiative designed to strengthen advertising literacy among students in Grades 3 to 8. Developed under the ASCI Academy, the programme aims to engage one million children across 2,000 schools by the end of 2026 through structured, in-class learning modules.
Since its rollout in September, AdWise has already reached more than 1,14,000 students across 240 schools in seven states. Pre- and post-assessments indicate notable shifts in understanding, with correct responses improving to 59%-86% among Grades 3–5 and 57%-95% among Grades 6–8.
Manisha Kapoor, CEO and Secretary General, ASCI, said: “Children today encounter advertising in significantly different ways than previous generations. They may be digital natives, but they don’t yet have the cognitive abilities to interpret, question, or recognise persuasive messaging. AdWise is designed to equip children, parents, and educators to critically analyse the influence of advertising. Building these skills encourages responsible media consumption and nurtures an informed future audience.”
Positioned under the tagline ‘Smart Kids. Smart Choices’, AdWise fills a critical gap in digital literacy by helping children differentiate between content and advertising across formats. The one-hour workshops are tailored for two groups:
- Grades 3–5: Introduction to what ads are, their intent, distinguishing ads from content, and evaluating claims.
- Grades 6–8: Persuasive techniques, influencer marketing, online safety and case-based learning.
The curriculum uses gamified tools, facilitator-led content, handbooks and videos. Parents receive guides and checklists to support learning at home. Materials are currently available in English, Hindi and Marathi, with Tamil and Kannada versions in development.
Following its successful pilot, AdWise is being implemented across Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Lucknow, Varanasi, Indore, Bhopal, Patna, Jaipur, Jodhpur and Kolkata. ASCI plans further expansion into Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Punjab, Assam and Karnataka.
Through AdWise, ASCI aims to equip children with the critical thinking skills needed to navigate an increasingly ad-driven environment.
