Mumbai, 4 May 2025

A dedicated breakout session on Best Practices for Social Media Advertising for Influencers was held on Day 4 of the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025 at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai today.

The panel comprised Ms. Saheli Sinha, Director, ASCII; Ms. Shibani Akhtar, Film Actor and Influencer; Shri Mayank Shekhar, Entertainment Journalist; and Shri Vinay Pillai, Chief Business Officer, Pocket Aces. The session was moderated by Smt. Tanu Banerjee, Partner, Khaitan & Co.

Deliberations focused on the growing role of influencers in the digital economy, and the ethical, creative, and legal frameworks required to strengthen the credibility of influencer advertising. The panel emphasised that authenticity, transparency, and content responsibility are key pillars for sustainable influencer marketing.

Ms. Shibani Akhtar highlighted the importance of staying true to one’s voice while creating branded content. She stated that effective influencer marketing requires creators to be involved in the content and branding process and to ensure that campaigns reflect personal belief and purpose. She urged influencers to build their brand organically and maintain authenticity as the foundation of all partnerships.

Advising creators to adopt platform-specific strategies and avoid a one-size-fits-all approach, Shri Vinay Pillai explained that each digital platform offers a different kind of audience engagement and demands tailored storytelling techniques. He stressed the importance of building a brand consciously, staying credible, and making data-informed content decisions that resonate with target audiences.

Shri Mayank Shekhar spoke on the evolution of digital influence and the blurring lines between celebrity and creator culture. He pointed out that in the current era, influence is not restricted to film and television but is now platform-led and niche-driven. He cautioned creators to safeguard their credibility and refrain from spreading misinformation or duplicating others’ work. He underscored the importance of integrity and fact-checking in sponsored content.

Ms. Saheli Sinha stated that influencers must be transparent about their partnerships and disclose whether a post is paid or promotional. She advocated for influencers to develop content that is ethical, informative, and reflective of their audience’s trust. She also shared that ASCII runs educational programmes to guide emerging creators on legal obligations, advertising standards, and content responsibility.

The panel collectively recommended that content creators should define their boundaries, communicate honestly with their followers, and stay aligned with advertising guidelines and platform regulations. Building a long-term relationship with audiences, they said, relies heavily on trust and clarity in advertising intent.

The session concluded with a strong endorsement of formalised best practices for influencer advertising and a call for continued industry efforts to promote transparency and professionalism in the digital advertising ecosystem.

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PIB TEAM WAVES 2025 | Rajith/ Lekshmipriya/ Navin/ Darshana | 172