Black Friday heralds the start of one of the biggest consumer events of the year, now advanced into weeks of sales. Given the excitement surrounding the event, marketers need to have vulnerable consumers in mind and ensure their ads are clear and responsible.
Responsible spending
The ASA upheld several complaints about 2024 ads for credit cards and loans that encouraged people to spend more than they could afford on Black Friday. An ad in which the reference to Black Friday was replaced with the claim ‘it’s just Friday’ was found to be irresponsible because it encouraged consumers to spend regularly on non-essential purchases using a credit card.
Another ad for a loan trivialised the decision to take out a loan and made light of the consequences of borrowing. Statements like “Simply apply on the app and after a quick soft credit check, if you’re eligible, you’ll be able to withdraw £300” and “Grab what you want now, pay it off with ease!” alongside a video of the woman applying on an app with one hand and the money appearing in the other, put undue emphasis on speed and ease of access, and suggested the loan would be “easy” to pay off. The ASA banned the ad because it encouraged consumers to borrow money for the Black Friday sales to spend more than they could afford and made light of the consequences of borrowing,
And Brazilian Butt Lifts!
Because of the risks involved, undertaking cosmetic surgery should be portrayed in ads as a decision that requires time and thought from consumers. Black Friday promotions are time limited and often only last for days or weeks around that day. Although it’s not necessarily irresponsible to offer promotions for cosmetic or surgical procedures, marketers need to take particular care with their wording. And make sure they don’t rush consumers into a decision. The ASA ruled that phrases like “Black Friday deals so good, they won’t last long!", “BLACK FRIDAY NON SURGICAL BBL OFFERS. Sign up to get the discounted offer” and “BLACK FRIDAY Save up to 70%! Valid until 30th November. YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS THESE DEALS” created un undue sense of urgency based on consumers fear that they might miss out on the advertised discounts and were therefore irresponsible.
Promotional claims
Whatever the sector, Black Friday offers need to abide by the rules:
- Any savings claims, e.g., “70% off”, “Save £50”, etc, must be genuine, accurate and must not exaggerate the saving that could be made. We generally should be compare with the most recent price available.
- Make sure you can back up any price comparisons, for example with historical pricing records.
- If you use a claim like “up to X% off” the ASA will expect a significant proportion of the items included in the sale to be discounted by X%.
- Promotional offers should not normally be extended beyond their closing dates,
- Ensure you have made a reasonable estimate of demand and that you’re able to demonstrate that you’ve done so.
- Significant conditions are those which could affect whether someone chooses to participate in a promotional offer or not. These will vary but normally include a clear explanation of how to participate, closing dates, the nature and number of prizes or gifts, any restrictions and availability.
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