BSkyB gets ASA reproach over unfair ads
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) recently issued a ban against airing of the BSkyB advertisement citing the unfair and misleading attacks on broadband companies BT and Virgin Media.
The internet speeds of service providers, along with concerned groups and individuals, raised their concern over the BSkyB campaign. The ad claims, “If you’re in a Sky network area, we don’t slow your broadband speed down at peak times – unlike Virgin Media and BT.”
The advertisement watchdog supported their decision to ban BSkyB, citing among others that only extremely heavy users would experience slower speeds during peak times, which is but an understandable connectivity and speed situations.
The ruling from ASA stated that the BSkyB campaign breached advertising guidelines on substantiation, truth and comparisons with competitors. It further issued a warning against the BSkyB to refrain from making similar unfair and misleading claims.
On the other hand, BSkyB retorted that all BT and Virgin Media subscribers could be likely affected by their fair use and traffic management policies. They argued broadband speeds of users exceeding “fair use” during peak hours would be experiencing what they claim. This particularly happens, said BSkyB when “heavy users” who are using on popular applications at busy periods with bigger bandwidths.
ASA explained that both BT and Virgin Media do not intend these slower peak-hours speed as implied by the BSkyB advertisement. The regulatory body stated that the public, particularly subscribers to the two internet service providers, would infer from the claim that their speeds are really affected and such slower connection is intended by the two providers.
Particularly to the consumers with low-bandwidth web browsing services, the BSkyB advertisement would make them think the services of both Virgin Media and BT are really slowing down their speed, even if such is not the case, ASA continued to explain.
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Unfair BSkyB advertisement banned by ASA
Claiming that rival broadband service providers Virgin Media and BT slows down speed of customers in Sky network area, this BSkyB advertisement has been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
This came after BT and a concerned customer came forward to explain that only “heavier” users would experience slower internet speed on peak hours.
BSkyB remained steadfast saying all customers of both broadband service providers are highly likely to be affected by their services and policies regarding traffic management. Further, BSkyB said that broadband speeds are slowed in connections which went over fair use during peak times. Such findings led them to formulate the advertisement, a strategy which led their costly airing down the drain as it has been banned by ASA.
ASA on the other hand announced it found that BT and Virgin Media did have adherent regulations that rendered slower speeds at peak hours for internet connection subscribers who are using popular applications with much larger bandwidths.
But the regulator and watchdog agency stood by their decision to ban the BSkyB advertisement, saying that the claim, “If you’re in a Sky network area, we don’t slow down your broadband speed at peak times – unlike Virgin Media and BT” would have a negative impact on the mindsets of current and potential customers of the two service providers.
It would also be likely that consumers infer to such an unfair claim, said ASA, to those who are currently using web browsing services with lower bandwidths, and mislead them in decision making.
Summing up its decision to ban the BSkyB advertisement, ASA ruled that it breached guidelines on substantiation, comparisons and truthfulness with competitors. They ruled further that the advertisement should not be ever aired again, and warned BSkyB to observe fair practice in advertising.
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