Ad description

Ads promoted customer helpline numbers.

a. An Ask-sponsored search result stated "Phone Number Helpline - Phone Customer Service & Support easyjet.uk-phone.com/ For General Enquiries & Feedback".

b. Claims on www.uk-phone.com stated "easyJet Customer Services Phone Number To get connected to easyJet Customer Services 0844 XXX XXXX". Text below stated "You will be connected directly to easyJet Customer Service. UK-Phone is not affiliated with easyJet …UK-Phone has no connection with any of the companies listed on this site".

Issue

easyJet challenged whether ads (a) and (b) were misleading because they implied the advertiser was associated with easyJet.

Response

uk-phone.com said they were an established website offering an opportunity for companies to further their reach. They said they had ceased all advertising of the easyJet number, deleting the web page and the sponsored links, and that they were willing to discuss how easyJet wanted to be advertised with them. They said they were reviewing the website to ensure they received no additional complaints.

Assessment

Upheld

The ASA considered consumers would note that "easyjet" formed part of the URL and interpret the claim "easyjet.uk-phone.com/" in ad (a) to mean that the Ask-sponsored search result was directly associated with easyJet.   We also considered the various references to "easyJet" in ad (b), along with the claims "To get connected to" and "You will be directly connected to easyJet Customer Service", would be interpreted to mean that the website was associated with easyJet.  While the website stated "UK-Phone is not affiliated with easyJet" and "UK-Phone has no connection with any of the companies listed on this site", we considered that those claims contradicted rather than clarified the overall impression of the ad.  Because the ads implied the advertiser was associated with easyJet, we concluded they were misleading.

On that point, the ads breached CAP Code (Edition 12) rules  3.1 3.1 Marketing communications must not materially mislead or be likely to do so.  (Misleading advertising) and  3.9 3.9 Marketing communications must state significant limitations and qualifications. Qualifications may clarify but must not contradict the claims that they qualify.  (Qualification).

Action

The ads must not appear in their current form. We told uk-phone.com to ensure that their ads did not misleadingly imply they were associated with easyJet.

CAP Code (Edition 12)

3.1     3.9    


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