ASA Adjudication on Sit-Up Ltd

Ad

Teleshopping channel bid tv advertised a digital phone system with three handsets and an answer machine.

Issue

A viewer complained that the ad was misleading because she purchased one of the phone systems and it did not have an answer machine.

Response

Bid tv said the ad was broadcast live on 30 April and the presenter had incorrectly described the phone system as having an answer machine.  They asserted that they offered an almost identical product that included an answer machine and the two product descriptions had been mixed up.  They said they would review their procedures in that area to try and ensure the mistake did not happen again.  They said they noticed the mistake that day and changed the on-air description for 1 May.  They said they had compensated the complainant for the additional trouble she had been put to.

Assessment

Complaint upheld

The ASA noted bid tv had corrected the error as soon as they had noticed it and had amended the description for the following day.  We considered, however, that when originally broadcast the presenter had incorrectly described the phone system as having an answer machine and the ad was therefore misleading.

The ad breached CAP (Broadcast) TV Advertising Standards Code rules 5.1 (Misleading advertising), 5.2.1 (Evidence) and 5.2.2 (Implications).

Action

As the ad will not be shown again, no further action required.