(New Zealand Herald via NewsEdge) Both of New Zealand's major phone companies have been rapped for advertisements determined as misleading by New Zealand's Advertising Standards Complaints Board.
In two separate decisions, complaints against New Zealand Telecom and Vodafone were upheld by the board, which determined both companies breached the truthful presentation rule of the advertising Code of Ethics.
The first complaint, against New Zealand Telecom, related to a television commercial for the company's Freedom Plan, which offered a deal in which customers paid $10 a month to call between the carrier's home line and a designated 027 mobile number.
The voice-over on the advertisement said 'you can call as much as you like'.
However, the complainant noted small print on the screen added the qualifier 'normal charges apply after 60 minutes'.
This meant the offer was not unlimited, the complainant said, making the voice-over 'misleading and inappropriate'.
A second complaint dealt with an advertisement promoting the Vodafone 'Bestmate' plan, which showed people talking to a miniature best friend held like a mobile phone, and told customers they could call, video or text their best mate 'all you like for $6 per month'.
The problem was nowhere in the advertisement did it tell customers the offer only applied to pre-pay phones, the complainant said.
Vodafone argued viewers were directed to the company's Web site, or free-call number for further details, where they were advised the offer was for pre-pay only.
The board found the advertisement misleading as the condition should have been clearly specified in the advertisement and said it was not sufficient for the consumer to have to seek the information through other channels.
© 2007 New Zealand Herald
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