Standards body find fault with tone of Esat phone adverts


A complaint about a press advertisement for Esat Digifone's "Speakeasy" card phone has been upheld by the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland (ASAI).

The complainant considered the ad "misleading" as it made no reference to a requirement to purchase a minimum of £20 pre-paid credit every 90 days, or that where the phone user failed to use up all the credit within the 90-day period he/she forfeited the unused portion.

The ASAI noted that detailed information, terms and conditions were provided in the brochure and the phone pack. But it felt the advertisement should have included reference to the availability of this information. It welcomed the advertiser's decision to include a terms and conditions caveat in all future advertising.

There was also a complaint about an Esat Clear newspaper ad which said: "You only pay for what you say" and "Esat Clear charges only to the nearest second, not the nearest unit." The advertisement did not refer to a minimum charge of 5p which the complainant considered to be another form of the unit. The charge to the nearest second did not apply until after the period covered by the minimum charge was exceeded.

The ASAI upheld the complaint and concluded that the reference to per-second billing without reference to a minimum charge was misleading. The committee noted the commitment to include a reference to the minimum call charge in future advertiswments.

A complaint about a press advertisement showing a Mitsubishi Lancer rally car with all four wheels off the ground and the caption "Wey-Hey-Hey" was not upheld. The complainant felt that the promotion of a family car by using this image was "irresponsible and encouraged speeding" but the ASAI concluded that the ad was not in breach of the advertising code.

However, a complaint against the Mitsubishi Lancer radio advertising campaign was upheld. It was felt the radio ad, in associating "awesome power" with a family car, was encouraging the illegal use of the product.

The advertiser had agreed not to air the radio advertisement in future.

The advertisement had linked the family car to the World Rally Championship success and gave the impression that rally-style driving could be undertaken in the family version of the Lancer.