Does your ad need a dongle?

07 September 2005

Technological advancement in the mobile phone industry is certainly impressive but the intricacies of getting to grips with various functions can sometimes leave consumers baffled or out of pocket.  A recent ASA adjudication has highlighted the need for clarity in ads that promote new-technology products.

A TV commercial for the Samsung E270 that highlighted the MP3 function and welcomed consumers to “Tap into a world of entertainment” but did not make clear that users could download music for free only if their PC had a Bluetooth-friendly dongle (a connection device) or that they might need to buy a USB cable to download tunes already stored on their PCs.  Click here to read the adjudication.

The ASA considered those conditions to be significant; so, if you offer a mobile phone with an inbuilt MP3 player and don’t already offer a USB cable with the phone, your ads should make clear that buyers of the product might need to buy a dongle or a USB cable to be able to use the MP3 player function.  A similar lesson applies to advertisers of many products that depend on consumers having other facilities already or having to buy something else before full functionality can be enjoyed.

If you are at all unsure about the significant conditions you should include in your ads, we suggest you should consult the CAP Copy Advice team on 020 7492 2100 or by e-mail at copyadvice@cap.org.uk.