In short
- ASCI's permitted labels are Advertisement, Ad, Sponsored, Collaboration, Partnership, Employee, Free gift and Affiliate, or a platform tool. #ad and #sponsored map to them most clearly.
- A label buried in a hashtag block, a bio or behind a 'more' click is likely to be missed. Put the word first in the caption and on screen in video.
- Video timing: at least 3 seconds in clips up to 15 seconds, a third of the video up to 2 minutes, and the whole brand section beyond that.
- ASCI's second check of Forbes India's Top 100 Digital Stars found 76 percent failing disclosure norms, and about two thirds of the upheld cases had no label at all.
Under the ASCI influencer guidelines, the hashtags that clearly count are the ones that spell a listed label: #ad, #advertisement, #sponsored, #partnership, #collaboration, #affiliate and #freegift. A hashtag on its own does not make a post compliant, though. ASCI requires the label to be upfront and prominent, and says it is likely to be missed at the end of a post, behind a "more" click or inside a group of hashtags.
This post goes one level below our ASCI guide and answers the narrow question brand teams ask most: which labels and hashtags are safe, and where exactly do they go in each format. For the wider channel, see our complete guide to influencer marketing in India.
What ASCI's list actually says
ASCI's guideline gives a list of permitted disclosure labels, any one or more of which can be used: Advertisement, Ad, Sponsored, Collaboration, Partnership, Employee, Free gift and Affiliate, plus any platform disclosure tool meant for disclosing a material connection with brands. The label must be in English or in the language of the ad, and easy for an average consumer to understand.
Two things are worth noticing. The list is of words, not hashtags, so ASCI neither approves nor bans the hashtag form. And ASCI does not rank the labels. The Department of Consumer Affairs' Endorsement Know-hows! suggests plain terms such as "advertisement", "sponsored" or "paid promotion". Reading the two together, here is how common hashtags line up. The verdicts are our reading, not ASCI rulings.
| Hashtag | Matches ASCI label | Our verdict |
|---|---|---|
| #ad, #advertisement | Ad, Advertisement | Clear. Safest choice for a paid post |
| #sponsored | Sponsored | Clear |
| #paidpartnership, #paidpromotion | Close to Partnership; "paid promotion" is in the Know-hows examples | Reasonable. Pair with Ad |
| #collaboration | Collaboration | Listed, but says nothing about money. Do not use alone on a paid post |
| #collab | Abbreviation of a listed word | Write the full word instead |
| #partnership | Partnership | Listed, vague. Pair with Ad |
| #freegift | Free gift | Clear for product-only deals |
| #gifted | Close to Free gift | Acceptable reading, but #freegift is exact |
| #affiliate | Affiliate | Use when the creator earns per sale, click or install |
| #sp, #spon, #pr, #ambassador, #thanks[brand] | None | Do not rely on these |
Hashtags are the weakest place for a label
ASCI's text is blunt about the three places a disclosure is likely to be missed: only on an About Me or profile page or in a bio, at the end of a post or video, or anywhere that requires a click on "more". It adds that the disclosure should not be buried in a group of hashtags or links.
That makes the classic Indian caption, a paragraph of text followed by 20 hashtags with #ad somewhere in the middle, a likely failure. Our house rule is stricter than ASCI's minimum: the label word is the first thing in the caption, on its own, and the hashtag block comes after. For example, "Ad | Tried this serum for two weeks" works, and "Tried this serum for two weeks... #skincare #glow #ad" does not.
Where the label goes, format by format
ASCI sets the placement and, for video, the minimum time. The notes are our practice.
| Format | Where the label goes | How long or how often |
|---|---|---|
| Reel or video, 15 seconds or less | On screen | At least 3 seconds |
| Video over 15 seconds, under 2 minutes | On screen | One third of the video. A 24-second Reel needs about 8 seconds |
| Video of 2 minutes or more | On screen | The whole section that mentions the brand |
| Story, or any picture or video without a caption | Superimposed on the visual | Visible clearly. We put it on every frame that shows the product |
| Static post or carousel | First line of the caption, before any "more" cut-off | We also add it to the first slide |
| Live stream | Announced by the host | At the start and the end. If the replay stays visible, add the disclosure to the text or caption |
| Audio and podcasts | Announced by the host | At the start, the end, and before and after every break |
| Text posts on LinkedIn or X | Top of the post | Not buried in hashtags or links |
On LinkedIn, ASCI found 121 violations in FY2024-25 where professionals did not disclose paid partnerships, and issued a targeted advisory for the platform. If you run LinkedIn and B2B creator campaigns, put the label in the first line, before the hook.
Platform tools: use them, then add a word
ASCI counts a platform disclosure tool as a permitted label, so Instagram's paid partnership label and YouTube's paid promotion setting both qualify. YouTube's help page says that selecting paid promotion adds a disclosure label at the beginning of the video, and adds that creators and partners are responsible for complying with all applicable legal requirements. That is the platform reminding you that its tool is not a legal safe harbour.
We still pair the tool with a visible word, for three reasons. The tool appears in different places on different formats. Viewers scroll past small labels. And when a brand amplifies the post as a partnership ad, the label can change or disappear in the new format. Check the ad preview before it goes live, every time.
Which label for which deal
ASCI gives the words but not the mapping. This is the mapping we write into briefs.
| Deal type | Label we specify |
|---|---|
| Paid post or paid mention | Ad or Sponsored, first line and on screen |
| Product only, no fee | Free gift |
| Fee plus sales code or link | Ad, plus Affiliate if the creator earns per sale |
| Commission-only deal | Affiliate |
| Long-term or co-created series | Ad in the first line, Partnership or Collaboration after it |
| Brand's own staff | Employee |
| Giveaway run with a brand | Ad or Sponsored in the first line |
Remember how wide ASCI's test is. A material connection includes money, free or discounted products even if unsolicited, contest and sweepstakes entries, trips, barter, awards and family or employment ties. Disclosure is needed even when the opinion is honest. Our guides to barter collaborations and gifting and seeding show how to handle product-only deals without compliance gaps.
Sample wording for a brief
These are drafting examples to adapt with your legal team, not ASCI text.
- Caption opener, paid Reel: "Ad | Two weeks with the new cold brew. Here is what I noticed."
- Caption opener, product only: "Free gift from [Brand] | I was sent this and decided to try it."
- Caption opener, commission deal: "Ad | Affiliate link in my bio. I earn when you buy."
- On-screen text: "Ad: paid partnership with [Brand]" as a clear text overlay for the first 3 seconds of a short Reel, or for a third of the length of a longer one.
- Spoken line for a podcast or live stream: "This episode is sponsored by [Brand]", said at the start, at the end, and around each break.
For regional-language content, agree the label wording in that language with the brand's legal team before the shoot, so it is checked once and reused.
Nine mistakes we see in drafts
- The label sits after the hashtag block. Move it to the first line.
- The Story label is on frame one only. ASCI's text asks for the label superimposed on the visual, so every frame that shows the product needs it.
- The label is hidden by the app's interface. Captions, buttons and the profile name cover the bottom and right edges of a Reel. Keep the label clear of them with enough contrast.
- The label flashes for a second. A 20-second Reel needs the label for about 7 seconds, one third of its length.
- A tag is treated as a disclosure. "Thanks @brand" or a tagged handle is not a listed label.
- The gifted product is declared in a comment. A pinned comment backs up a label. It does not replace one.
- A YouTube sponsorship is disclosed only in the description. That sits behind a "more" click, which ASCI names as a likely miss.
- The ad version drops the label. Reposts and partnership ads need the same check as the original.
- A "not an ad" claim with no paper behind it. ASCI's Addendum 1 asks for a declaration signed by a senior member of the advertiser, such as the marketing or legal head, if you say there was no material connection. Draft it before anyone asks.
How often this goes wrong
ASCI's own numbers show the label is where most posts fail. In FY2024-25, ASCI investigated 1,015 influencer ads and 98 percent needed modification. In FY2025-26 it processed 1,609 influencer ads, and 97.3 percent needed modification.
Big accounts are no safer. ASCI's second check of Forbes India's Top 100 Digital Stars 2024 found 76 percent failing disclosure norms, up from 69 percent in the first. Of the 76 cases upheld, 65.8 percent had no disclosure at all, and the rest were buried or incorrect. Ninety-five percent agreed to add labels without contest. Mostly these are omissions, which a brief and a review step prevent.
A brief and review routine that works
- Name the label in the brief. Write the exact word, the position in the caption and the on-screen timing for each format. Do not leave it as "disclose as per ASCI".
- Put it in the contract. The label, the approval step and a takedown clause belong in the influencer contract, with the brand and creator sharing responsibility as ASCI's text does.
- Review every draft for the label. Check position, duration, contrast and whether the app's interface covers it.
- Screenshot at go-live. Keep the live post, the caption and the time stamp in the campaign folder.
- Re-check when the post becomes an ad. Open the ad preview and confirm the label is still visible.
- Agree a fix window. We ask for corrections within 24 hours and hold payment until a wrong post is fixed.
Related rules that sit beside the label
A disclosure label answers one question: is this an ad? Other rules ask what the ad says. The Department of Consumer Affairs' rules on endorsements, covered in our post on endorsement guidelines in India, add due diligence for what the creator claims. Health and finance posts also need qualifications, covered in our posts on health influencer rules and finfluencer rules under SEBI. AI-generated content needs its own label, separate from the ad label, which we explain in AI-generated content rules for influencers.
If you want every brief, draft and post checked this way, see how we work or send us a brief.
This is general information, not legal advice.
Sources
- The ASCI Code and guidelines page: Guidelines for influencer advertising in digital media (Addendum 1, 15 Jul 2021; Addendum II, 6 Mar 2025), ASCI (undated page, accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- Department of Consumer Affairs releases Endorsement Know-hows! for celebrities, influencers and virtual influencers, PIB, Department of Consumer Affairs (20 Jan 2023)
- Paid product placements, sponsorships and endorsements (paid promotion setting), YouTube Help (Google) (undated, accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- Press release: Annual Complaints Report 2024-25, ASCI (28 May 2025)
- Half-Yearly Complaints Report 2025-26 (data to 30 Oct 2025), ASCI (Nov 2025)
- Annual Complaints Report 2025-26, ASCI (28 May 2026 (date per press coverage))
Frequently asked questions
Is #ad enough as a disclosure in India?
#ad matches the listed label Ad, so it is a defensible choice, but only if it is upfront. ASCI says a disclosure is likely to be missed at the end of a post, behind a 'more' click or inside a group of hashtags. Put Ad or #ad at the very start of the caption and, in video, on screen for the required time.
Is #collab a valid disclosure?
ASCI lists Collaboration as a permitted label, not the abbreviation #collab, so write the full word if you use it. It also tells viewers nothing about money. For a paid post we prefer Ad or Sponsored, which nobody has to interpret. Use Collaboration or Partnership for co-created or long-term deals, alongside Ad in the first line. See our ASCI guidelines explainer.
Do I need a hashtag when a brand only sends a free product?
Yes, if you post about it. ASCI counts free products as a material connection even when unsolicited, and the permitted label is Free gift. The only product you can post about without a label is one you bought yourself with no link to the brand. Our guide to gifting and seeding shows how to run these cleanly.
Is Instagram's paid partnership label enough on its own?
ASCI lists any platform disclosure tool built for this purpose as a permitted label, so the tool counts. We still pair it with a visible word because the tool sits in different places on different formats and viewers miss it. In a partnership ad, check the ad preview to confirm the label survives the new format.
Where must a YouTube creator disclose a sponsorship?
In the video, not only in the description. ASCI says a label is likely to be missed behind a 'more' click, and for videos of 2 minutes or more it must stay on screen for the whole section that mentions the brand. YouTube's paid promotion setting adds a label at the start of the video, which helps but does not replace the on-screen label.
Does the disclosure have to be in English?
No. ASCI says the disclosure should be in English or in the language of the advertisement, in a way an average consumer can easily understand. A Hindi, Tamil or Bengali video can carry a plain label in that language. Agree the exact wording with the brand's legal team and write it into the influencer contract.
Who is responsible if a creator forgets the label?
Both sides. ASCI says the influencer must make the disclosure and the advertiser must make sure the post conforms to the ASCI Code, and can ask the influencer to edit or delete it. A brief that names the label and a review step before posting remove most of the exposure.