ASA Adjudication on DSG Retail Ltd

Ad

A PC World TV ad for the 60-GB Playstation 3 games console showed a sales assistant connecting the console to a flat screen TV. A colleague arrived and said "Oh we've got the 60-gig PS3 back in stock". The first sales assistant replied "Controller and 3 games all for 379". The shot cut to a close-up of the console and the notice next to it that read "Only while stocks last!" His colleague said "and it plays your PS2 games as well." The on-screen text throughout the ad stated "£379. Save a total of £165. Total separate selling price £544.96 [crossed out] £469.96".

Issue

The complainant challenged whether the ad was misleading because he did not believe all Playstation 2 games could be played on the Playstation 3.

BCAP TV Code

Response

DSG Retail Ltd (DSG) said the backward compatibility of Playstation 2 software with the 60-GB Playstation 3 was approximately 80%, but that this figure was constantly increasing as more software patch downloads became available via the Sony Playstation Network.

Clearcast said DSG had confirmed the 60-GB Playstation 3 was backwards compatible, which meant it could play Playstation 2 games.

Assessment

Upheld

We noted at the time the ad was broadcast the 60 GB Playstation 3 could play around 80% of Playstation 2 games only. We therefore concluded that the claim "and it plays your PS2 games as well" was misleading.

The ad breached CAP (Broadcast) TV Advertising Standards Code rules 5.1 (Misleading advertising).

Action

The ad should not appear again in its current form.

Adjudication of the ASA Council (Broadcast)