ASA demands Wanadoo pulls ‘8 meg’ ads
Internet provider Wanadoo has fallen foul of the Advertising Standards Authority for the third time in a year after a series of complaints about television and print ads created by M&C Saatchi.
The latest ruling concerns the company’s claim that its broadband service offers “up to eight megabyte” broadband. There were complaints from companies including BT, Tiscali and advertising agency WCRS on behalf of Bulldog Broadband, which claimed that broadband speed is not available to the majority of customers.
The ASA has ruled that the eight-meg claim is misleading. The ASA also pointed out the ads do not make it clear whether the speed is for uploading or downloading – something the authority made mandatory last year.
The ads have also been found to be misleading because they fail to make it clear that wireless and phone services are billed separately to broadband and that the package is only free for a certain period. The ads cannot be shown in their current form.
⢠An ad for Wychwood’s Hobgoblin bitter with the catchline “Afraid of the dark Lagerboy?” has been cleared after complaints from a lager drinker who said the ad is aggressive and offensive. The ASA ruled the ad is humorous rather than offensive and the slogan refers to the taste.
