Sainsbury’s Brand Match ad banned.

A Sainsbury’s TV advert promoting its Brand Match price pledge has been banned for being misleading following a complaint from rival Asda.

SPic

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled that the TV advert, which contained the phrase “excludes Locals,Centrals and online Selected stores excluded”, was ambiguous and did not make it clear the number of participating stores in the price pledge.

The move is a blow for the supermarket chain’s marketing activity, after it recently hailed its price match scheme for improving price perception among consumers previously put off by its expensive reputation.

Sainsbury’s ran the TV spot as part of a wider advertiisng push for the launch of its Brand Match intiative last October.

In defence of the advert, the retailer argued that that those participating store were named in its the terms and conditions and added that “all significant conditions” of the Brand Match price pledge were made clear in the ads.

Four other complaints were made by Asda, which were not upheld, objections included, the claim that the prices were “checked every day” could not be proved and also that the ads implied that there was no value for consumers shopping at other retailers.

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