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soul searching · Nov 10, 2003, 12:59 PM

Computer giant Apple has been banned by advertising watchdogs from claiming its latest product is �the world�s fastest, most powerful personal computer�.

Linkage.

Mediaman_12 · Nov 10, 2003, 01:03 PM

I think they have stoped showing it anyway, I havent seen it in ages.

wdlove · Nov 10, 2003, 01:05 PM

I wonder what the reason would be to censor such an ad. That is very sad indeed.

kmkkid · Nov 10, 2003, 01:11 PM

Isnt it sad when viewers actually call in to dispute the legitamacy of a computer ad?

Must have nothing better to do over there.

Chris

Mediaman_12 · Nov 10, 2003, 01:11 PM

Originally posted by wdlove:
I wonder what the reason would be to censor such an ad. That is very sad indeed.

Not censor, ban. You generally have to tell the truth (or at least no outright lie) in UK advertising.
Apple stated thet the G5 was the fastest Etc. computer with no independent tests.

Mohammed Atef · Nov 10, 2003, 01:13 PM

Originally posted by wdlove:
I wonder what the reason would be to censor such an ad. That is very sad indeed.

Germany also prohibits sweeping claims of superiority in advertising. Unless they've changed that law recently.

engaged · Nov 10, 2003, 01:19 PM

Originally posted by kmkkid:
Isnt it sad when viewers actually call in to dispute the legitamacy of a computer ad? Must have nothing better to do over there.

Chris

You've got to remember that over here we've only got three (ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5) channels that have adverts, unless people have satellite, cable or digital. That's why it's all rather more stringent than elsewhere. The majority of people probably still have only terrestrial - five channels of crap (the majority of the time) is more than enough. Also, breaks for adverts are not as frequent.

Sherwin · Nov 10, 2003, 01:38 PM

Originally posted by kmkkid:
Isnt it sad when viewers actually call in to dispute the legitamacy of a computer ad?

Windows weenies - what did you expect?

Hmmm... Maybe I should point the ITC to the speed tables on distributed.net?

Originally posted by kmkkid:
Must have nothing better to do over there.

Got that right.

RooneyX · Nov 10, 2003, 02:09 PM

In the UK any claim made in an ad must be true. It's not like this US TV with it's billions of ads claiming to make you look 20 years younger again, tablets to help you grow another two balls, exercise machines that will do the workout for you while you eat a Burrito on the couch, etc

Those controls have helped prevent such absurdity on UK TV. The thing called 'Free Speech' in the US is more like a 'Free For All'. Freedom comes with responsibility to your fellow man. If you tell someone you're selling them the fastest computer in the world and it's not then that can spark off customer complaints to consumer watchdogs, which is bad for Apple, and also lawsuits.

petehammer · Nov 10, 2003, 02:33 PM

Originally posted by RooneyX:
The thing called 'Free Speech' in the US is more like a 'Free For All'. Freedom comes with responsibility to your fellow man. If you tell someone you're selling them the fastest computer in the world and it's not then that can spark off customer complaints to consumer watchdogs, which is bad for Apple, and also lawsuits.

Exactly right.

Krypton · Nov 10, 2003, 02:47 PM

I was thinking of complaining about an Intel Centrino Ad which shows a man surfing the net on top of mount Everest

(In UK)

Powaqqatsi · Nov 10, 2003, 02:47 PM

Originally posted by Mohammed Atef:
Germany also prohibits sweeping claims of superiority in advertising. Unless they've changed that law recently.

What's this about ? People posting even while they are baninated ? I've seen this before in other threads. How come ?

GoGoReggieXPowars · Nov 10, 2003, 02:58 PM

Originally posted by Powaqqatsi:
What's this about ? People posting even while they are baninated ? I've seen this before in other threads. How come ?

You forget that threads are generated dynamically: he could have posted, then gotted banned, and his status is updated each time a thread is read. Much like how one's postcount is updated.

I Me Mine · Nov 10, 2003, 03:25 PM

Originally posted by Sherwin:
Windows weenies - what did you expect?

Or pissed off Mac Weenies.

DekuDekuplex · Nov 10, 2003, 03:31 PM

Originally posted by kmkkid:
Isnt it sad when viewers actually call in to dispute the legitamacy of a computer ad? Must have nothing better to do over there.

Chris

Err, sorry, but I disagree. If I saw something false in an ad that I knew could misinform millions of people, I'd definite make time to call it in. That's the whole reason that there are groups such as Epinions.com(SM).

Unfortunately, not everybody knows about such product rating groups, and that is no excuse to shaft the innocents.

Otherwise, everybody would just lie, and the best lier would win.

Sorry, but that doesn't sound right.

--DekuDekuplex

kmkkid · Nov 10, 2003, 04:04 PM

Originally posted by DekuDekuplex:
Err, sorry, but I disagree. If I saw something false in an ad that I knew could misinform millions of people, I'd definite make time to call it in. That's the whole reason that there are groups such as Epinions.com(SM).

Unfortunately, not everybody knows about such product rating groups, and that is no excuse to shaft the innocents.

Otherwise, everybody would just lie, and the best lier would win.

Sorry, but that doesn't sound right.

--DekuDekuplex

So, you really don't have anything better to do then?

"Otherwise, everybody would just lie, and the best lier would win."

Welcome to North America.

Seriously though, I can see your point, but to call in over a computer ad which makes a claim which may or may not be true? It's not the end of the world.

Chris

mitchell_pgh · Nov 10, 2003, 04:10 PM

I'm surprised. I could say just about anything on a US TV commercial. I guess the people in the US know not to believe everything you see/read.

faragbre967 · Nov 10, 2003, 04:43 PM

Originally posted by Mohammed Atef:
Germany also prohibits sweeping claims of superiority in advertising. Unless they've changed that law recently.

Am I the only one who found this funny so far?

DekuDekuplex · Nov 10, 2003, 05:02 PM

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
I'm surprised. I could say just about anything on a US TV commercial. I guess the people in the US know not to believe everything you see/read.

The problem is that not everybody knows where to look to verify claims. There's very little benefit to consumers if companies make claims and people don't know how or don't have the time somehow to verify them.

What usually winds up happening is that rampant false claims result in many ignorant customers getting duped into purchasing shoddy products or services because they don't know how to verify the claims efficiently ... which is exactly the reason that large-scale advertising works in the first place. That's the problem.

Witness the Epinion(SM) reviews on MacMall for some reports of what can happen.

The competition should be about the merits of the products, not the size of the producers' wallets.

--DekuDekuplex

TheIceMan · Nov 10, 2003, 05:06 PM

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
I guess the people in the US know not to believe everything you see/read.

I disagree. Look at the success of those fad-diets, those memory enhancer programs, and many other infomercials on US television. If you read the fine prints at the bottom of these ads. They are so small and pops up so fast many people don't even notice them. This to me is deceptive and misleading. Any ad that promotes or make outrageous claims should also state the fine print in big bold black fonts during or at the end of the ad like:

While we claim this diet will make you lose weight, the reality is that in our "scientific/independent test" we only asked 5 people. And from those 5, 2 lost weight. From this figure we got 40%.

The truth is that if you are fat, our products WILL NOT help you, but our ad will have you believe that it can. Have a nice day SUCKER.

KeyLimePi · Nov 10, 2003, 05:35 PM

The ITC is really in no position to decide the validity of this claim. I could understand if some reputable organizations disproved the Apple tests, but so far all that has been posted is just a bunch of 'he-said/she-said.'

Besides, if the ITC's regs are really that strict, you would think that someone would be reviewing ads beforehand. It's kind of a stretch to think that the ITC suddenly pulled these ads because of the complaints of eight viewers.

DAlex · Nov 11, 2003, 11:23 AM

Well, to be fair a centrino advert was pulled from newspapers/billboards e.t.c as it showed someone surfing wirelessly whilst sat in a chair at the edge of an ocean - it wasn't a realistic depiction of wireless working due to crap wireless coverage in the UK.

But for same reason it didn't get the same amount of coverage.....heck, even our little local paper the Western Mail here in Wales ran the apple ban story!

DAlex

RooneyX · Nov 11, 2003, 12:16 PM

Could have been worse. The ad could have said the Power Mac is 'sexy'. I've read so many Mac magazines that have labelled hardware 'sexy'. Jeez, these people need to find a woman for themselves.

benign · Nov 11, 2003, 12:17 PM

Eight viewers contacted the ITC to complain

Eight, just took eight windozer-nerds to ban it.

einmakom · Nov 11, 2003, 12:23 PM

Originally posted by Mediaman_12:

Apple stated thet the G5 was the fastest Etc. computer with no independent tests.

Incorrect.

Apple commissioned testing by an independant lab which took place weeks before the G5 was announced.

http://www.veritest.com/clients/repo...erformance.pdf

davesimondotcom · Nov 11, 2003, 12:52 PM

So are they going to ban any Windows ads claiming that it's stable?

Sherwin · Nov 11, 2003, 02:33 PM

Originally posted by davesimondotcom:
So are they going to ban any Windows ads claiming that it's stable?

Yes. I'm sure I can find eight family members and friends.

engaged · Nov 11, 2003, 02:39 PM

Someone say stable?

nvaughan3 · Nov 11, 2003, 02:49 PM

Originally posted by einmakom:
Incorrect.

Apple commissioned testing by an independant lab which took place weeks before the G5 was announced.

http://www.veritest.com/clients/repo...erformance.pdf

"the claim was based on the results of limited tests in which the specification of the computers used was configured to give Apple the best results....the ITC found that the claim was not supported by independent reviews and that, at best, the G5 was only �generally as fast� as its competitors."

rampant · Nov 11, 2003, 03:23 PM

That's pretty funny.

RooneyX · Nov 11, 2003, 04:07 PM

Originally posted by davesimondotcom:
So are they going to ban any Windows ads claiming that it's stable?

UK ads don't claim its stable. They just show flying people being thrown into an early grave

beanbag · Nov 11, 2003, 05:45 PM

they were way too specific.
Ad slogans have to really avoid being quantatative (ie: the "Best", "biggest", "fastest", etc)
If you claim that, you've gotta back it up . A disclaimer saying "as of (date) based on benchmarks by (company)" would have covered them

Gee4orce · Nov 12, 2003, 07:49 AM

Originally posted by DAlex:
Well, to be fair a centrino advert was pulled from newspapers/billboards e.t.c as it showed someone surfing wirelessly whilst sat in a chair at the edge of an ocean - it wasn't a realistic depiction of wireless working due to crap wireless coverage in the UK.

But for same reason it didn't get the same amount of coverage.....heck, even our little local paper the Western Mail here in Wales ran the apple ban story!

DAlex

That Everest advert shows the guy flip open his laptop and instantly starts watching a 1/2 screen sized video of his kid that (presumably) he got in his email. Heck, I can't even get that kind of network speed with wired broadband in the middle of civilisation, never mind on the top of a mountain. In any case, if he's using WiFi, what the hell is his basestation plugged into ?

It's totally misleading advertising.

olePigeon · Nov 12, 2003, 10:44 PM

So why isn't Dell banned from advertising the "coolest" PC, or that they're "rock solid" when you can run WindowsME on it?