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Google is changing the way its Google Local Services ads work, which could affect millions of small businesses. Google Local Services ads run locally and are a big way that small businesses market their goods and services. Ads appear on the top of Google search results. Starting Nov. 21, only businesses with a verified Google Business Profile will be able to run the ads. The change affects businesses in Europe, the Middle East and Africa and select businesses in the U.S. and Canada, Google said in an online post. The company didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The change is an effort to crack down on fraud. But legitimate small businesses could be hurt if they're unaware of the change. If a small business' Google Business Profile's name and address doesn't match the information with the ad, advertising will be paused. Getting verified on Google isn't difficult, but it does take some time. Business owners must add or claim their business address on Google. Then own
Markets regulator Sebi on Thursday clarified that research reports and recommendations of research analysts (RAs) are not considered advertisements unless anything contained in such reports is in the nature of promotion of products or services offered by them. This came after the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) received certain queries concerning the applicability of provisions of advertisement code on a research report issued by an RA. In its circular, Sebi said that the forms of communications, to which the advertisement code shall be applicable include pamphlets, circulars, brochures, notices or any other literature, document, information or material published, or designed for use in any publication or displays (such as newspaper, magazine, sign boards/hoardings at any location), in any electronic, wired or wireless communication or over any other audio-visual form of communication (such as television, tape recordings, motion pictures) or in any other manner ...
Baba Ramdev-led Patanjali Ayurved on Wednesday said it was not making any "false advertisements or propaganda" regarding its products, and said it would not object if the Supreme Court were to impose a fine or "even give us a death sentence" if found making misleading claims. A day after the apex court cautioned the company against making "false" and "misleading" claims in advertisements about its medicines as cure of several diseases, Patanjali Ayurved said it has "database with more than one crore people, with real world evidence, preclinical and clinical evidence". "Patanjali have made thousands of people free from several diseases like BP, sugar, thyroid, asthma, arthritis, obesity, liver and kidney failure, and cancer," the company asserted. The company further said, "We humbly respect the Supreme Court of India and if we make false advertisements or propaganda, we would not have any objections if honourable court imposes a fine of crores or even give us a death sentence." On
The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has issued a notice to restaurant aggregator Zomato over a controversial ad which showed actor Aditya Lakhia, who played the Dalit character Kachra in the film "Lagaan", as items made of recycled waste. The NCSC also asked the Delhi Police commissioner and the resident grievance officer of YouTube to investigate the matter. The ad, which draws a link between the character Kachra with 'kachra', the Hindi word for garbage, was aired on World Environment Day on June 5. In the nearly two-minute ad, Lakhia is depicted as a lamp, paper, paperweight, watering can, and different types of jackets -- the accompanying text detailing how much recycled 'kachra' was used to make each item. In its notice, the commission sought an explanation from Zomato over the ad and its details. It asked the Delhi Police commissioner as well as the resident grievance officer of YouTube to investigate the matter and submit an action taken report immediately .
Apologising for unintentionally hurting sentiments, restaurant aggregator Zomato on Thursday withdrew an ad after it came under fire for depicting the actor who played the Dalit character Kachra in the film "Lagaan" as items made of recycled waste. The ad, which draws a link between the character Kachra with 'kachra', the Hindi word for garbage, was aired on World Environment Day on June 5. As ire grew and the ad came under attack on social media for being casteist, the company issued an apology from its official Twitter handle and said the intent was to "spread awareness about the potential of plastic waste and benefits of recycling in a humorous way". "Unintentionally, we may have hurt the sentiments of certain communities and individuals. We have taken down the video," it said. The ad, aiming to show the food delivery company's recycling efforts, was termed "disgusting", "blatantly casteist", and "extremely insensitive" by netizens on Twitter. "Masaan" director Neeraj Ghaywan, .
Elon Musk on Tuesday dismissed speculation that he might step down as Tesla's CEO and told the company's annual shareholders meeting that the the electric car and solar panel company would start doing some advertising. Say it ain't so, one shareholder asked Musk about stepping down as Tesla's leader. It ain't so, he replied without further discussion. When another shareholder suggested that Tesla try advertising, Musk said he is open to it. This has some merit, he said to the shareholder at the meeting at Tesla's factory site near Austin in Texas. We'll try a little advertising and see how it goes. Tesla famously has avoided paying for advertising like its competitors, relying a lot on Musk's ability to generate free publicity he has 140 million followers on Twitter, the social media company bought for USD 44 billion last fall. Musk told shareholders that the company's Full Self-Driving software is getting close to where it's safer than human driving. He previously has said the .
Country's largest automaker Maruti Suzuki sees share of ad spends on digital stabilising at the current levels of being about a third of the overall pie, a senior official said on Tuesday. The share of digital has grown to 30-32 per cent of the overall spends now, Maruti Suzuki India Executive Director for Marketing Ram Suresh Akella told PTI on the sidelines of an event hosted by social media giant Meta here. "I think we are almost theremay be a little more," Akella said, replying to a specific question on where he sees the share of digital in the overall pie going ahead. Asked if he sees the share of digital in the overall spends plateauing, he replied in the affirmative. In a February news report, a senior company executive was quoted as saying that the overall ad spends by the company will be about Rs 800 crore in FY23, of which Rs 200 crore will be on digital. Akella said from the automobile industry's perspective, the traditional medium of television continues to hold a lot