Surrogate advertising is used to promote products such as cigarettes and alcohol in the guise of promoting another product.

The Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act 2003 prohibits advertisement of tobacco-related products.

Petitioner Teena Sharma, a social activist, argued that the Advertising Code under the Cable Television Networks Rules 1994 requires that advertising that directly or indirectly promotes the consumption of cigarette, tobacco products, wine, alcohol, liquor or other intoxicants be barred.

To check surrogate advertising, the code requires that a registered chartered accountant certify that the expenditure on advertising the product is not disproportionate to its sales.http://www.livemint.com/Politics/xpnnXvMo001OmTWrE2C0mM/PIL-against-surrogate-advertising-filed-in-Delhi-high-court.html