“The ad was rejected a day before it was due.”
Work back from the approval date. Send each ad that needs it to the MCMC early, and book media dates only after it clears.
This is mineHome / Industries / Political campaigns
Industries · Political campaigns
Political advertisingwithin the rules
For any party or candidate, and for government offices running awareness drives. Clear work, checked against the Election Commission's rules.
/ 01 Political advertising
Every political ad hasrules to pass first.
A political ad pulled for a missing certificate costs you the days it was meant to run. PromotEdge plans, makes and places advertising for any party or candidate, and for government awareness drives.
Every ad is checked against the Election Commission of India's rules before it goes out. We take no side and promise no result.
We work for any party or candidate, and for government offices running awareness drives. We name no party and say nothing for or against any leader. The Election Commission of India (ECI) sets the rules, and its Model Code of Conduct (MCC) covers everyone. Our political marketing is plain advertising that follows those rules.
Many political ads need approval from the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) before they run. We will not target by religion, caste or community, profile individuals, use scraped data, predict results or promise a win. Section 125 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 makes it an offence to promote hatred between groups in an election.
What happens after you ask: a free 30-minute strategist call, then a one-page plan and a written quote within 2 working days. Nothing starts until you approve it. Our servicing team works across India.
/ 02 What usually gets in the way
What gets in the wayand the way through.
“We run in many languages and areas with a small team.”
Write once, then adapt each version for its language and area. Run every version through the same checks and one approval log.
This is mine“False clips about us spread faster than we can reply.”
Name one person and one calm reply routine before you need them. The ECI asks parties to remove fake content within 3 hours of notice, so speed matters.
This is mine“Supporter names sit in phones and WhatsApp groups.”
Keep one consent-based list in a simple CRM (one record per person).
This is mine/ 03 Proof
Who we haveworked with.
We haven't run a campaign for any party or candidate, and this page stays neutral. The nearest work is public-facing outdoor and awareness work: SANY India's "Naya Bharat Ka Nirmata" hoardings, Utkarsh India in cities and villages, and the Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport campaign.
Brands we have worked with
“PromotEdge and their team did an excellent job with our website. They engaged with every team member, understanding their needs with great patience before collating them into a user requirement and a design spec. …”
Bimal ShahExecutive Director at Fine Organic Industries Limited“PromotEdge has been working with our organization for social media management and other creative activities. They are responsive, supportive and hard working. We look forward to a long and positive relationship with them.”
Medha SharmaStrategic Head at TATA Metaliks“PromotEdge has been a unique creative group amongst unique creativity world. …”
Rajat ChatterjeeHead Business Development at Birdman Chemeng Pvt Ltd./ 04 Order to start
Plan the approvals first.Then make the ads.
| Step | What we do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Plan and rules check | Fix the goal, dates, languages and budget. List which ads need MCMC approval. | Approval time sets your calendar. |
| 2. Look and message | One look and one clear message in each language, set by your brand strategy, with a log of who approved every word. | One voice, and a record of approvals. |
| 3. Make the ads | Write, shoot and design the ads. Send each to the MCMC or the platform for approval. | Nothing goes out without approval. |
| 4. Place and run | Book media, run ads on verified accounts, and keep every bill and date. | Costs are counted from day one. |
| 5. Report and file | A short weekly report on reach and cost, and a clean sheet for your accounts. | You see what ran and what it cost. |
Hoardings, outdoor sites and events are delivered through PEXORA, a joint venture of PromotEdge and Prodigy.
/ 05 Cost
What affects the cost of political advertising.
No price list. These things move the number.
We don't publish a price list. A 30-minute strategist call comes first, then a written quote within 2 working days. Campaign work is quoted per campaign period.
What affects the cost
- Campaign period. A short drive, or a full election calendar.
- Media. Print, TV, radio, outdoor, screens or social media.
- Languages and regions. How many versions we make and check.
- Content and approvals. How many films and posts need clearance.
How we quote
- We talk about your goal, dates, areas and who signs off
- We list which ads need approval, then send a written scope
- Nothing starts until you decide
What you get in the quote
- Services and media in scope
- Who approves each ad, and by when
- Content count and languages
- A weekly report and a spending sheet
How it is billed
| Way of working | When it fits |
|---|---|
| Campaign period plan | Strategy, content and media for a set period. We confirm the timeline in the quote |
| Monthly plan | Content, ads and reports. Minimum 3 months, 30 days' notice to stop |
| Website or microsite | Usually 4 to 6 weeks; we confirm the timeline in the quote |
Media and ad spend are paid at actuals, and you approve them first.
Every client and project is different. The cost depends on the effort it takes, so we price after the first call.
Our beliefWe believe in process. Good results should repeat, not happen by luck.
/ 06 Services
Services forcampaigns and public drives.
All 14 services in one place. Tap one to see how it works.
Political digital marketing
One neutral plan across search, ads, social and WhatsApp, with every ad checked against Election Commission rules first.
SEO services for campaigns
Plain pages on your official site that answer public questions, with dates and sources so people can check.
Social media and verified ads
Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Google content and ads, run through each platform's election-ad checks.
MetaInstagramYouTubeGoogle AdsAI tools, CRM and reports
Consent-based records, AI tools for common replies, and a monthly report on reach and cost.
Issue research and strategy
Market and issue research on what people care about. We never profile individuals or scrape data.
Campaign branding
A clear name, logo and message for a candidate, a party unit or a public scheme.
All services for political campaigns (8)
Print, radio and TV ads
Newspaper, radio, TV and connected TV ads, sent to the MCMC where the rules ask.
Outdoor, cinema and screens
Hoardings, digital screens and cinema ads, placed with permission and the 48-hour rule planned in.
Video and ad films
Campaign films and short videos. AI-made scenes are labelled; nobody is shown saying what they never said.
Website and landing pages
A fast phone-first site for your programme or scheme, with a clear way to get in touch.
WhatsApp for public bodies
Government offices can use WhatsApp's business tools with opt-in. Its policy bars party and candidate campaigns.
WhatsAppLanguages and localisation
Messages adapted, not just translated, for each Indian language, then checked again for the rules.
Events and public meetings
Set-up for public meetings and awareness drives, with police and loudspeaker permissions planned early.
Press and public relations
Press notes and media relations. We do not place paid news, which MCMCs watch for.
Not sure which ads, films or posters need approval first? Let's list them together. Check your ad list
/ 07 AI and automation
Where AI can help Political campaignstoday.
Real business problems, from sales to back office, each with a plain AI fix. A person stays in charge of every step.
When a complaint or query comes in by email, the sender can have no way to tell if anyone acted on it.
The AI fix Each message gets a ticket number, and AI sorts it by topic, ward and language and drafts status replies. An officer resolves every case. No voter profiling.
Voter-awareness work has to fit each state's culture and past turnout, and reach low-turnout areas, young people and marginalised groups.
The AI fix AI adapts approved messages into local languages and answers common questions from an approved script on an opt-in WhatsApp line. Officials check every word; no voter targeting.
Source: Election Commission of India SVEEP site (Strategy IV, 2022-25)
AI and automation systems WhatsApp automation Chatbots
These show what such tools do. Each card links its source. We do not claim a past project here.
Go deeperMore on this
Deeper reading if you want the research behind the plan.
Political and public-awareness advertising in depth
Market size and trend
Government print advertising is large. In 2023-24 the Central Bureau of Communication committed about Rs 293 crore to 2,874 newspapers. Phones carry the rest: India had 136 crore telephone connections in August 2026. Spending limits change each election, so we quote none.
Source: Central Bureau of Communication, newspaper commitments 2023-24, total line (mib.gov.in, file posted January 2025). TRAI, Press Release 125/2026, 28 Sep 2026 (trai.gov.in/sites/default/files/2026-09/PR_No125of2026_0.pdf).
How the approval flow works
Candidates send political ads to their district Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC). Parties based in a state use the state MCMC. An appeals committee headed by the Chief Electoral Officer hears rejections. Print ads on poll day and the day before need it too. Apply two days ahead.
Source: PIB (Election Commission), 20 Mar 2026 (pib.gov.in, PRID 2242903). PIB (Election Commission), 6 Apr 2026 (pib.gov.in, PRID 2249301).
How people receive messages
Our view, not a survey: people meet a message on a phone first, then on TV, radio, in the paper, on a wall or at a meeting. Each channel has its own rule, and bulk SMS and voice messages need approval too. Plan each language and channel on its own.
Where it is heading, and AI today and next
Today, AI helps draft versions in many languages and tidy a spending sheet. A person checks every word. Next, labels get firmer. The Election Commission asks parties to mark AI-made content "AI-Generated" (9 October 2025). The IT Rules, amended on 10 February 2026, make platforms label it too. AI cannot clear an ad for you.
Source: PIB (Election Commission), 9 Oct 2025 (pib.gov.in, PRID 2176611). PIB (Ministry of Electronics and IT), 6 Aug 2026 (pib.gov.in, PRID 2295500).
Bodies and stories
Public bodies and what they do
Election Commission of India: runs elections and issues the Model Code of Conduct.
MCMC: district and state committees that pre-certify political ads and watch for paid news.
State Chief Electoral Officers: supervise election work in each state and head the appeals committee.
Central Bureau of Communication (earlier DAVP): plans and books central government ads.
Press Council of India: protects press freedom, sets newspaper standards and takes paid news cases.
Advertising Standards Council of India: the industry's own watchdog for ads about goods and services.
Supreme Court of India: its 2015 guidelines ask government ads to be objective and not aimed at a ruling party.
Source: Each body's own site, loaded 2026-10-10. Election Commission, Model Code of Conduct (old.eci.gov.in/mcc). PIB (Election Commission), 20 Mar 2026 (pib.gov.in, PRID 2242903). Central Bureau of Communication, About Us (cbcindia.gov.in/about-us). PIB (Information and Broadcasting), 7 Sep 2020 (pib.gov.in, PRID 1651999).
A public example worth knowing: Pulse Polio
India's Pulse Polio drive began in 1995 with one clear ask: polio drops for young children on set national days. Vaccinators stood at bus stops and train stations. Since 2000 they visited about 209 million homes. In March 2014 the WHO South-East Asia Region, India included, was certified polio-free.
Source: PIB, Zero Case: India's Polio Eradication Saga, 18 Nov 2024 (static.pib.gov.in, 2024/nov/doc20241119437601.pdf); CDC, Polio-Free Certification and Lessons Learned, 24 Oct 2014 (cdc.gov/mmwr, mm6342a2)
What you can do, and how we would deliver
What you can do, and what is not ours
A campaign team or a government office can do much alone: keep a facts file, apply to the MCMC, keep the spending sheet and get written permission for walls. Approval is not ours to give. Only the MCMC, the platforms and your legal adviser can clear an ad or its words.
How we would deliver, and why each step
First, a 30-minute call and a one-page plan. We list every ad that needs approval and work back from the dates, because approval time sets your calendar. We log who approved each word and keep every bill and date for your spending sheet. A short weekly report shows what ran. Rima Shaw, our Senior Account Manager, is your day-to-day contact and sends the weekly reports.
/ 08 Worth knowing
Worthknowing.
Useful before you start. Open it when you need it.
Checklist, rules, AI for operations (3)
Brand basics checklist
The basics
- Logo and brand guidelinesOne set of logo files and a one-page guide to colours and fonts.
- Domain and business emailyourname.com and name@yourname.com, not a free mail address.
- A website that works on phonesFast, secure, with Call and WhatsApp buttons.
- Google Business ProfileCorrect name, hours, photos and category.
- WhatsApp BusinessCatalogue, quick replies and an away message.
- Social media handlesThe same name on each platform you use.
- Business cardsName, role, phone, email and website.
- Letterhead and invoiceYour legal name, address and tax details, with your logo.
- Company profile or brochureOne document you can send on WhatsApp.
- SignageMatches your logo and your Google listing.
- Photos and short videosReal work, real people, real premises.
For campaigns and public drives
- MCMC certificate ID for every covered adKeep each ID with its ad file. PIB, Election Commission order, 20 March 2026.
- Printer and publisher names on printed matterPosters and pamphlets carry both names (section 127A, Representation of the People Act, 1951).
- Spending ledger sheetEach ad, vendor, date and bill (sections 77 and 78, Representation of the People Act).
- AI-content labelMark AI-made images and video, for example "AI-Generated". PIB, Election Commission, 9 October 2025.
- Platform verificationGoogle and Meta verify advertisers before political ads run. Their policy pages, 2026.
- Consent record for contact listsWho agreed, when and to what (Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, section 6).
- Government ad content checkObjective message, not aimed at a ruling party. Supreme Court guidelines, 2015.
The ECI's rules, in plain words.
We follow the ECI's advertising rules: MCMC pre-certification, the Model Code of Conduct and spending records.
Approval before release. ECI orders (PIB, 20 March 2026) ask for MCMC clearance of political ads on TV, radio, public screens, e-papers, bulk messages and social media.
Print. No political print ad may run on poll day or the day before without MCMC approval. Apply at least 2 days before publication (PIB, 6 April 2026).
Social media and AI. The MCC applies online, and posts on your own account are not ads (ECI FAQ, 2021). The ECI wants AI-made content labelled (PIB, 9 October 2025).
Conduct. Criticism stays on policies and record. No appeal to caste or communal feelings. Banners and walls need the owner's permission (ECI, MCC).
Posters. Election posters must name the printer and publisher (section 127A).
Quiet days. In the last 48 hours before polls close, section 126 bars public meetings and election matter on TV or cinema screens.
Spending. Candidates keep an election account (section 77) and lodge it within 30 days of the result (section 78).
Social media spending. It counts, and parties report it within 75 days of an assembly election (ECI, 2026).
Google and Meta. Google needs verification and an ECI pre-certificate for each India election ad. Government public-information ads send a letter. Meta needs authorisation and "Paid for by" labels.
WhatsApp. Its business policy (23 September 2026) bars parties, candidates and campaigns, and lets government bodies in through an approved provider.
Contact lists. The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023 asks for clear consent. Its Rules phase in over 18 months from November 2025.
Government drives. Supreme Court guidelines (2015) ask for objective ads, not aimed at a ruling party. The MCC asks that public-money ads favouring the party in power be avoided.
General guidance, not legal advice. Your own legal or compliance adviser signs off the final words.
AI for the back office
The Election Commission requires campaign teams to label AI-made or AI-edited content and name its source, so teams need a record of each item.
The AI fix One shared register notes every AI-made or AI-edited item with maker and time, and AI checks drafts for a missing label. A compliance officer signs off each item.
Source: PIB (Election Commission of India release), 19 April 2026
Leaders, candidates and star campaigners share content on their own social media, and any AI-made content in it must carry a clear label.
The AI fix Drafts go to one approval desk before posting. AI checks for a missing label or a face or voice used without consent. A person decides each one.
Source: PIB (Election Commission of India release), 9 October 2025
The Election Commission told parties to remove fake or deepfake content within three hours of notice, so teams must see alerts fast.
The AI fix A notice inbox with a three-hour timer gathers alerts, and AI routes each one to the right person. The social media head decides what to remove.
Source: PIB (Election Commission of India release), 6 May 2024
Do rejected ads or fake clips sound like your office this week? Send us the bigger worry, and we'll sort the first step. Tell us your worry
Want a second look at your approval dates? Send us your calendar. Send your dates
/ 09 What happens next
What happensafter you ask.
For projects we think we can help, this is how it goes.
- 01
A strategist calls you
In one working day: a 30-minute call with one of our strategists about your business and what is not working.
- 02
You get a 1-page plan
A short, honest plan: what to fix first and what we would do. It is free.
- 03
A quote, if you want one
If you want to go ahead, we send a quote within 2 working days.
We confirm the timeline in the quote. Contracts start at 3 months, with 30 days' notice to stop.
Brands and people are named only as public examples. They are not PromotEdge clients or endorsers unless stated.
Keep exploring
Related pages.
The expertise that fits your business, and the places we work.
Advertising and content
Digital and events
Related industries
For parties, candidates and government offices
Tell us the dates and the languages.We'll plan the approvals first.
Straight answers.
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The MCMC is the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee. It works at district and state level under Election Commission orders. Parties and candidates get political ads approved by it before they run on TV, radio, e-papers, bulk messages or social media. Print ads need it on poll day and the day before.
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No. Voters decide, and no agency controls them. We're professionals. We'd rather be blunt than pleasing. What we promise is clear plans, clean work, honest reports and no taking of sides. Be wary of any agency that promises a win, because nobody can.
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We don't publish a price list. Cost depends on the campaign period, the media, the languages and regions, and how many films and posts need clearance. A written quote follows within 2 working days. Media and ad spend are paid at actuals, and you approve them first.
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Any party or candidate, and any government office running an awareness drive. We name no party, take no side and make no prediction. We never target by religion, caste or community, and the same checks apply to everyone. Nothing starts until you approve the plan.
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Paid political ads on social media need MCMC approval, and Google and Meta add their own checks. WhatsApp's business policy bars parties, candidates and campaigns, so we do not run those there. Posts on your own account are not ads. Contact lists need clear consent.
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Candidates keep a separate election account and lodge it within 30 days of the result (sections 77 and 78, Representation of the People Act, 1951). Social media costs count. We keep every bill and date on one sheet from day one, so filing is simple.
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A strategist calls you for 30 minutes. A one-page plan follows, then a written quote within 2 working days. Nothing starts until you approve it. Our servicing team works across India. Campaign work is quoted per campaign period, and we confirm other timelines in the quote.
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Yes, on health, voting or public schemes. Government ads should be objective and not aimed at a ruling party (Supreme Court guidelines, 2015). We keep the message on the citizen's right or benefit, not on any leader. During an election we check Model Code of Conduct dates first.