ASA upholds complaints about Apple iPhone 3G’s web claims
A TV ad claiming the Apple iPhone 3G offers “really fast” internet has been banned by the advertising regulator for being misleading.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruling against the campaign, created by TBWA/London, comes at the crucial Christmas trading time for the handset, which was launched this summer.
The ad, which shows a close-up of the product being used to view a news page, says/ “So what’s so great about 3G? It’s what helps you get the news, really fast. Find your way, really fast. And download pretty much anything, really fast. The new iPhone 3G. The internet, you guessed it, really fast.”
The ad triggered 17 complaints. The ASA ruled that the claim was misleading because it was likely to lead viewers to believe that the device operated at or near to the speeds shown in the ad, which is not the case. Apple has been advised not to repeat the ad in its current form.
– The ASA has also upheld complaints against a poster ad for Tiger Beer, featuring a lady-boy with the strapline: “The Far East’s most desirable export since 1932.” The campaign was created by CHI & Partners.
The ASA ruled that the tagline alongside the image of a lady-boy was offensive and could potentially be linked to human trafficking.
– The Sun has also been censured by the ASA for using the word “bloody” on a poster ad.
The ad, in paid-for-space on a lorry side, said: “Where the bloody hell were you?” against a background of the Union Jack. It showed Great Britain’s 2008 Olympic gold medal tally of 19 compared with Australia’s 14.
