ASA criticises Sky HD sport ads

chris

BSkyB has been criticised by the advertising watchdog for promoting its high-definition Ashes cricket and Lions rugby union coverage this summer, when both contests would have ended by the time some customers could have the service installed.

The two TV campaigns and one press ad promoted BSkyB's HD services, through its Sky+ HD box, by highlighting the sports coverage available to those who signed up.

A TV ad focused on the Ashes cricket contest between Australia and England, which England won 2-1 late last month, featuring a voiceover by Sir Ian Botham. The press ad also promoted the benefits of watching the cricket in HD.

A second TV ad focused on the summer tour by the British and Irish Lions to South Africa in a three Test series, which ended in early July.

Seven viewers complained to the Advertising Standards Authority that the TV ads were misleading because when they registered to receive the HD service they were told there was a 12-week waiting period for installation, which meant they would miss all the Lions tour and most of the Ashes. One reader objected about the press ad on the same grounds.

BSkyB said that existing Sky+ HD customers could upgrade their sports package in "a few hours" and would not miss the events.

The broadcaster added that completely new Sky TV customers would also have been able to see the events as it operated a seven-day installation policy for them. The issue was with existing Sky customers who did not have an HD set-top box.

Sky said it amended its ads from 6 June to warn, in small print, that installation might not happen until after the Ashes had started. The Lions tour ran from 20 June to 4 July and the Ashes from 8 July to 24 August.

The ASA banned the ads because they made claims, such as "See every moment" and "Experience every ball, every magnificent Aussie wicket, every screamed appeal...", when in fact waiting times for installation meant this was unlikely to be the case for all existing Sky customers. The ASA concluded that the ad campaign was misleading and should not be shown again.

"There is huge demand for high definition and we've connected more than 500,000 homes to Sky+HD since January," said a spokesman for BSkyB. "Many customers were able to get installed in time for HD coverage of the Lions and Ashes and we're straight with customers by giving an estimated installation date before they buy. This transparency means that no one would have signed up to Sky+HD with unrealistic expectations about which sports events they would be able to watch."


Source:guardian