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Bord Gáis Energy Ad Misleading
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17-05-2009 8:15pm#1In their new ad, lucy says "Guaranteed 10-14% off your electricity costs" Which is not the case, because they don't reduce the standing charges, they only reduce the rate of the price of the Kwh unit. It does appear in text on screen that its 10-14% of the rates, but why doesn't she say that?
Anyone else think its misleading?What is 'Misleading Advertising'?
Misleading advertising means advertising that deceives or is likely to deceive anyone that sees it. Misleading advertising may affect consumers’ choices regarding what they buy.Tagged:0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da1vJoSBhJQComments
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Join Date:Posts: 26417
The advert clearly states 10-14% off ESB rates at the bottom of the screen and then continues to state Terms & Conditions apply, there is nothing misleading about this advert.
ESB refers to ESB Customer Supply, no end user can obtain their electricity from ESB Networks Directly as they must go through ESB Customer Supply, Bord Gais or Airtricity.
ESB Networks set the standing charge which applys to BG, Airtricity or ESB Customer Supply so this advert is not misleading as the standing charge does not change dispite the provider you choose.
Complain to the ASAI if you really care (I doubt you care that much as its easier just rant here
) but I honestly can't see the ASAI caring, in fairness its your job as a consumer to read T&C's for ANY product and or service (if T&C's apply) before you sign up. 0 -
The advert clearly states 10-14% off ESB rates at the bottom of the screen and then continues to state Terms & Conditions apply, there is nothing misleading about this advert.
ESB refers to ESB Customer Supply, no end user can obtain their electricity from ESB Networks Directly as they must go through ESB Customer Supply, Bord Gais or Airtricity.
ESB Networks set the standing charge which applys to BG, Airtricity or ESB Customer Supply so this advert is not misleading as the standing charge does not change dispite the provider you choose.
Complain to the ASAI if you really care (I doubt you care that much as its easier just rant here ) but I honestly can't see the ASAI caring, in fairness its your job as a consumer to read T&C's for ANY product and or service (if T&C's apply) before you sign up.
But the majority of people to not know what esb networks and customer supply are, or that what they each do. Its just ESB. Why cant she 'rates' rather than costs. Like what rubadub said, if you spend €500 a year to CS in bills, you wont get €50 discount if you avail of the 10% discount.
The quote i gave, whats misleading advertising. "deceives or is likely to deceive anyone that sees it. Misleading advertising may affect consumers’ choices regarding what they buy". This ad may lead to someone switching thinking they will be getting 10% off their bill, but thats not true. And i dont mean to be having a rant :P0 -
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That says it all, they have to "cover" themselves.
If they were more upfront about it people would still switch. Im sure people will get annoyed when the bill is not down as much as they thought it would be. The Esb CS 10% drop will help this though.She doesn't have to because it says rates at the bottom of the screen, this covers them fully
If she said rates rather than costs, they wouldn't have to put the text on screen. Even without mentioning standing charges etc just the word costs applies a different thing to me than the unit rate.Thats rubadub incorrect assumption, its not BG's fault if somebody assumes something incorrectly.
They should be as clear as possible, so no one would need to assume in my opinion.I can honestly say that anyone who signs up to any product and/or service without reading the T&C's before hand is extremely foolish.
I agree, everyone should read and understand what they are signing up to. Bord Gáis is a big and respected company. I understand they are trying to get as many to switch as they can but i bet their is a huge amount of people thinking its 10 or 14% off their total bill and not the price of a unit of electricity. I understand the ad is all above board but I would always look at it on how it can be improved from a consumer Joe blogs point of view, i think this ad could be. Rant over
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. I understand they are trying to get as many to switch as they can but i bet their is a huge amount of people thinking its 10 or 14% off their total bill and not the price of a unit of electricity. I understand the ad is all above board but I would always look at it on how it can be improved from a consumer Joe blogs point of view, i think this ad could be. Rant over
I don't get it? It's an ad. That's what ads do - they try to portray the product/service in as positive a light as possible without (usually) actually lying.0 -
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Join Date:Posts: 26417
And does not clearly state that standing charges are not included in these rates, which many would presume.
Again as I already stated ESB Networks set the charge, its effectively no different to Eircom line rental which does not change when you go through a reseller like UTV or BT
If a customer is dumb enough to assume and agree to a service without first reading and understanding the T&C's then this is their fault 100%Legally not their fault, but they know full well many will make this assumption. Morally the onus is on them to clarify this, they chose not to since legally there is no onus on them.
Morals are subjective and don't come into this, we can clearly see that from the very fact that I view BG as doing nothing wrong where as you believe they are, legally they are doing nothing wrong.
Again if it concerns you so greatly lodge a complaint with the ASAI
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Join Date:Posts: 26417
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and the fact they are not lying means there is nothing wrong
Apparently the ASAI doesn't agree:
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/big-switch-advert-in-hot-water-94993.html‘Big Switch’ advert in hot water
By Catherine Shanahan
Friday, June 26, 2009
NOT quite the Big Swiz, nonetheless the Big Switch, Bord Gáis Energy’s customer recruitment campaign, has been rapped by the advertising watchdog for failing to clarify that its discounted price was for one year only.
It has also been criticised for telling customers there was "10%-14% off electricity costs" when in fact the discount applies to the unit cost of electricity and not the overall bill, which includes standing charges.
Yesterday the Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland (ASAI) upheld three complaints against Bord Gáis Energy’s Big Switch TV campaign, fronted by TV presenter Lucy Kennedy.
Bord Gáis Energy argued they did not consider it necessary to include all the relevant terms and conditions applicable to the 10% discount in the advert because they were lengthy and could not be easily communicated in a TV advert.
They highlighted the fact that customers could not "make the switch" based on the advertisement alone, and that during each application process customers are alerted to the terms and conditions which apply to the offer.
However the ASAI ruled the advertisement should have indicated that the offer was an introductory one. It said the reference to "your electricity costs" could imply that the reduction was being applied to all components in the bill.
The ASAI recommended the advertisements be discontinued or amended.0 -
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