Another iPhone ad banned for misleading viewers....

flagpole · 26-11-2008, 09:44

An Apple iPhone advert has been banned by the advertising standards watchdog for exaggerating the phone's speed.

The advert boasted the new 3G model was "really fast" and showed it loading internet pages in under a second.

Apple's response is pure comedy:
Apple UK said it was comparing the 3G model with its 2G predecessor and its claims were "relative not absolute".

FULL STORY

I'm not really wanting to turn this into another iPhone/iTunes/apple bun fight. Just the advert.

My view is that if you're going to advertise something as 'really fast' then making the speed a key point of the ad, then the speed has to be an actual true representation.

Moony · 26-11-2008, 10:54

Apples response has been that they state "network speed may vary" - which is IMO a bit of a cop out. A lot of the performance issues that the iphone has are due to limitations of its hardware - not the network that it is connected to.

More and more adverts are falling foul of the advertising watchdogs. Are companies products really so crap that they have to misrepresent them to such an extent in adverts?

flagpole · 26-11-2008, 11:21

yeah i mean network speed may vary would do in the event that they had shown it working under optimal network conditions. but they hadn't they'd shown fictional conditions.

it's weird that nobody complained in the states.

TheSoulBrother · 26-11-2008, 11:46

probably because they've better things to do with their time than making petty complaints about stuff like this.

flagpole · 26-11-2008, 11:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheSoulBrother

probably because they've better things to do with their time than making petty complaints about stuff like this.

You disagree that it's misleading??? Or you just think that it's OK to do that???

Or you biggin' up the Americans??

TheSoulBrother · 26-11-2008, 11:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by flagpole

You disagree that it's misleading??? Or you just think that it's OK to do that???

Or you biggin' up the Americans??

I didn't say anything about the ads claims, or the judgment from the ASA. Just amazed that 17 people found it noteworthy enough to find the time to actually complain about the ad.

Though knowing the industry, it wouldn't surprise me if it was astroturfing.

TheSoulBrother · 26-11-2008, 12:03

Any word on the number of complaints that the Blackberry Storm isn't really a shrunken HDTV

flagpole · 26-11-2008, 12:05

I think it's a legitimate complaint. the iPhone is a tech device with mass market appeal so it could reasonably lead people think it did what they were shown.

I complained once to the ASA about pc world. they ran an ad for a wifi laptop that said something like wifi so you can access the internet anywhere. in their authorisation they had claimed that wifi coverage is similar to mobile phone coverage.

Any word on the number of complaints that the Blackberry Storm isn't really a shrunken HDTV

I think you can make outlandish claims, just not claims that aren't quite true.

ZListersMustDie · 26-11-2008, 13:16

Can I complain that the clean, helpful and acne-free assistants in McD, KFC, BK adverts aren't representative of the type of people who serve me at my local fast food restaurant ???

Or perhaps some household tasks aren't the stress free, pleasant jobs they appear to be on the ads ???

Jeez, some people need to get a grip !!!

flagpole · 26-11-2008, 13:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZListersMustDie

Can I complain that the clean, helpful and acne-free assistants in McD, KFC, BK adverts aren't representative of the type of people who serve me at my local fast food restaurant ???

Or perhaps some household tasks aren't the stress free, pleasant jobs they appear to be on the ads ???

Jeez, some people need to get a grip !!!

How's that relevant? I knew people would say stuff like that.

You could complain if McDonalds advertised their new attractive staff but macdonalds staff were not as attractive as they showed you in the ad.

CaptnSpaulding · 26-11-2008, 14:57

Bugger the staff, what about the burgers??

They look mouth watering on the ads, where as in the box it looks like one of them microwaveable burgers which is thrown together anyway.

People need to get lives for complaining about silly things like this. The ad actually states "network speed may vary".
I don't see Nokia N-Series ads lasting 10 minutes to show real phone menu speed

flagpole · 26-11-2008, 15:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptnSpaulding

Bugger the staff, what about the burgers??

They look mouth watering on the ads, where as in the box it looks like one of them microwaveable burgers which is thrown together anyway.

People need to get lives for complaining about silly things like this. The ad actually states "network speed may vary".
I don't see Nokia N-Series ads lasting 10 minutes to show real phone menu speed

Yes but surely that implies that what they were showing was the best network speed and what you get might be lower. but what they were actually showing was complete fiction.

26-11-2008, 18:33

American iPhone complaints here.

jammers · 26-11-2008, 18:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheSoulBrother

I didn't say anything about the ads claims, or the judgment from the ASA. Just amazed that 17 people found it noteworthy enough to find the time to actually complain about the ad.

Though knowing the industry, it wouldn't surprise me if it was astroturfing.

It was Flagpole, although he didn't want to cause any harm by doing it.

BT@home · 26-11-2008, 20:32

...and here is how the advert should look with the required changes.

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/239556/w...look-like.html

russellelly · 26-11-2008, 20:34

YOu'd think Apple would learn a lesson. The iPhone is a great device, but they shouldn't be misrepresenting it - only leads to bad press!

flagpole · 27-11-2008, 15:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by BT@home

...and here is how the advert should look with the required changes.

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/239556/w...look-like.html

That's a really good link, cheers.

26-11-2008, 09:44	#1
flagpole Inactive Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 43,524	Another iPhone ad banned for misleading viewers.... An Apple iPhone advert has been banned by the advertising standards watchdog for exaggerating the phone's speed. The advert boasted the new 3G model was "really fast" and showed it loading internet pages in under a second. Apple's response is pure comedy: Apple UK said it was comparing the 3G model with its 2G predecessor and its claims were "relative not absolute". FULL STORY I'm not really wanting to turn this into another iPhone/iTunes/apple bun fight. Just the advert. My view is that if you're going to advertise something as 'really fast' then making the speed a key point of the ad, then the speed has to be an actual true representation.

26-11-2008, 10:54	#2
Moony Guest Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 14,710	Apples response has been that they state "network speed may vary" - which is IMO a bit of a cop out. A lot of the performance issues that the iphone has are due to limitations of its hardware - not the network that it is connected to. More and more adverts are falling foul of the advertising watchdogs. Are companies products really so crap that they have to misrepresent them to such an extent in adverts?

26-11-2008, 11:21	#3
flagpole Inactive Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 43,524	yeah i mean network speed may vary would do in the event that they had shown it working under optimal network conditions. but they hadn't they'd shown fictional conditions. it's weird that nobody complained in the states.

26-11-2008, 11:46	#4
TheSoulBrother Forum Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 2,940	probably because they've better things to do with their time than making petty complaints about stuff like this.

26-11-2008, 11:51	#5
flagpole Inactive Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 43,524	Quote: Originally Posted by TheSoulBrother probably because they've better things to do with their time than making petty complaints about stuff like this. You disagree that it's misleading??? Or you just think that it's OK to do that??? Or you biggin' up the Americans??

26-11-2008, 11:57	#6
TheSoulBrother Forum Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 2,940	Quote: Originally Posted by flagpole You disagree that it's misleading??? Or you just think that it's OK to do that??? Or you biggin' up the Americans?? I didn't say anything about the ads claims, or the judgment from the ASA. Just amazed that 17 people found it noteworthy enough to find the time to actually complain about the ad. Though knowing the industry, it wouldn't surprise me if it was astroturfing.

26-11-2008, 12:03	#7
TheSoulBrother Forum Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 2,940	Any word on the number of complaints that the Blackberry Storm isn't really a shrunken HDTV

26-11-2008, 12:05	#8
flagpole Inactive Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 43,524	I think it's a legitimate complaint. the iPhone is a tech device with mass market appeal so it could reasonably lead people think it did what they were shown. I complained once to the ASA about pc world. they ran an ad for a wifi laptop that said something like wifi so you can access the internet anywhere. in their authorisation they had claimed that wifi coverage is similar to mobile phone coverage. Any word on the number of complaints that the Blackberry Storm isn't really a shrunken HDTV I think you can make outlandish claims, just not claims that aren't quite true.

26-11-2008, 13:16	#9
ZListersMustDie Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Essex Posts: 990	Can I complain that the clean, helpful and acne-free assistants in McD, KFC, BK adverts aren't representative of the type of people who serve me at my local fast food restaurant ??? Or perhaps some household tasks aren't the stress free, pleasant jobs they appear to be on the ads ??? Jeez, some people need to get a grip !!!

26-11-2008, 13:46	#10
flagpole Inactive Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 43,524	Quote: Originally Posted by ZListersMustDie Can I complain that the clean, helpful and acne-free assistants in McD, KFC, BK adverts aren't representative of the type of people who serve me at my local fast food restaurant ??? Or perhaps some household tasks aren't the stress free, pleasant jobs they appear to be on the ads ??? Jeez, some people need to get a grip !!! How's that relevant? I knew people would say stuff like that. You could complain if McDonalds advertised their new attractive staff but macdonalds staff were not as attractive as they showed you in the ad.

26-11-2008, 14:57	#11
CaptnSpaulding Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: North Wales Posts: 5,260	Bugger the staff, what about the burgers?? They look mouth watering on the ads, where as in the box it looks like one of them microwaveable burgers which is thrown together anyway. People need to get lives for complaining about silly things like this. The ad actually states "network speed may vary". I don't see Nokia N-Series ads lasting 10 minutes to show real phone menu speed

26-11-2008, 15:02	#12
flagpole Inactive Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 43,524	Quote: Originally Posted by CaptnSpaulding Bugger the staff, what about the burgers?? They look mouth watering on the ads, where as in the box it looks like one of them microwaveable burgers which is thrown together anyway. People need to get lives for complaining about silly things like this. The ad actually states "network speed may vary". I don't see Nokia N-Series ads lasting 10 minutes to show real phone menu speed Yes but surely that implies that what they were showing was the best network speed and what you get might be lower. but what they were actually showing was complete fiction.

26-11-2008, 18:33	#13
the researcher Posts: n/a	American iPhone complaints here.

26-11-2008, 18:52	#14
jammers Inactive Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: London Posts: 4,223	Quote: Originally Posted by TheSoulBrother I didn't say anything about the ads claims, or the judgment from the ASA. Just amazed that 17 people found it noteworthy enough to find the time to actually complain about the ad. Though knowing the industry, it wouldn't surprise me if it was astroturfing. It was Flagpole, although he didn't want to cause any harm by doing it.

26-11-2008, 20:32	#15
BT@home Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,911	...and here is how the advert should look with the required changes. http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/239556/w...look-like.html

26-11-2008, 20:34	#16
russellelly Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Scotland Posts: 10,720	YOu'd think Apple would learn a lesson. The iPhone is a great device, but they shouldn't be misrepresenting it - only leads to bad press!

27-11-2008, 15:22	#17
flagpole Inactive Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 43,524	Quote: Originally Posted by BT@home ...and here is how the advert should look with the required changes. http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/239556/w...look-like.html That's a really good link, cheers.

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Another iPhone ad banned for misleading viewers....