The Top Brands for tech in 2017

Top Brand reflects the overall product ownership experience. To achieve an award a brand must excel in Consumer NZ product testing and be a high achiever in our customer satisfaction and reliability surveys.

Advertising Standards – New Decisions: Colloquial language, safety practices and more

The Isuzu television advertisement shows a truck being driven over rural terrain with the voice-over saying “This is John Simpson from Mount Hay Station, Tekapo. John’s been driving this D-Max for a while now. It’s been a great truck and it’s got heaps of life left yet. But even so, he’ll be driving into town to the dealer soon and trading it in for a new D-Max, so someone else can have this one. John’s a good bastard! Be like John! Trade up to a new Isuzu D-Max, so someone else can have your old one.” The advertisement ends with the tag-line “Be a Good Bastard.”

Advertising Standards – New Decisions: Parking signs, religious healing events and more

The following decisions have been published: Complaint 17/345 Zepter International New Zealand, Digital Marketing: Not Upheld Complaint 17/348 Zepter International New Zealand, Digital Marketing: Not Upheld Complaint 17/378, Brand Developers, Digital Marketing: Not Upheld Complaint 17/392 Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG): Upheld, in part Complaint 17/398 Brand Developers Insurance, Television: Not Upheld…

Prezzy Card replaces expired $2500 card

After 15 years with his employer, Murray Hodson was rewarded with a Prezzy Card loaded with a generous $2700. Murray was chuffed with his gift, until he jumped online to check his balance and discovered the card had expired with nearly $2500 of credit on it.

New Guidance Note on Advertising Health Services

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has developed a Guidance Note for advertising health services. This provides advertisers with information to help them comply with the ASA’s Therapeutic and Health Advertising Code when making claims about their service in their advertisements.

Advertising Self-Regulation Explained

The International Council for Advertising Self-Regulation (ICAS) is a global platform promoting responsible ads through the effective implementation of self-regulatory standards. ICAS has released a short animated video to help explain advertising self-regulation:

Advertising Restricted Products, Child Safety And More

The Complainant was concerned the promotion of restricted products in a mailbox flyer meant children could be exposed to images of the R18 products and it created a level of acceptance of behaviour that could lead to drug use. The Advertiser said they had taken a considered approach to the creation of the advertisement, including noting the products were R18 and the front of the flyer only referred to the locations of the stores, not the products. The Advertiser also drew a comparison with the advertising of alcohol, which is also a legal but restricted product.

2017 Election Advertising Complaints

The lead up to a general election is usually a busy time for the ASA, and 2017 proved no exception. The ASA deals with complaints about all election advertising in non-broadcast media and third-party election advertising in broadcast media. This year the ASA dealt with 11 election advertisement complaints under its fast-track process.  This process requires a response from the advertiser and any other relevant party within 24 hours of notification of the complaint.

New Decisions: Election Advertising, Photography Promotion and More

The Complainant’s view was that the use of the red colour and Labour Party logo was misleading as it implied it was the official position of the Labour Party and gave the impression Labour intends to implement a Capital Gains Tax if elected. The Advertiser said the use of the Labour Party logo and red colour highlighted the contrast in the parties’ policies on tax.

2017 Election Advertising

Advertisers, agencies and the media have obligations around the content of election advertising, election programmes and other election-related material in broadcast, print and digital media. There are detailed rules in both the Electoral Act 1993 and the Broadcasting Act 1989 on what political parties, candidates and third parties can and cannot do when campaigning.  Some…

Don’t deal with this electronics retailer

An online electronics retailer that advertises goods to Kiwi consumers and claims to have a local office has failed to comply with a court order to refund a customer for a faulty phone. The customer was told she had to pursue the case in Hong Kong against its parent company.

More sneaky fees singled out

We’ve had a fantastic response to our Sneaky Fees campaign. We launched the campaign last month to get retailers to come clean on price and stop adding extra charges to the advertised cost of goods and services.

3 ways to save on airport parking

The cost of leaving your car at the airport while you’re away can add big bucks to your trip. Rates for an hour’s parking at Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch are more than double what you pay to park in the city centres.

Lions Tour Advertising Restrictions

This Lions Tour has been designated as a Major Event under the Major Event Management Act (MEMA). The MEMA provides protection to organisers and sponsors of major events from ambush marketing. The MEMA recognises that major events rely on sponsors making very large financial commitments. Other advertisers are not allowed to free-ride on the sponsors’ investments and trade off the goodwill and publicity surrounding an event.

Lions Tour Advertising Restrictions

This Lions Tour has been designated as a Major Event under the Major Event Management Act (MEMA). The MEMA provides protection to organisers and sponsors of major events from ambush marketing. The MEMA recognises that major events rely on sponsors making very large financial commitments. Other advertisers are not allowed to free-ride on the sponsors’ investments and trade off the goodwill and publicity surrounding an event.

Anzac Day Advertising Guidelines

The Ministry of Culture and Heritage provides guidelines about the use of the word Anzac in advertising. The guidelines prohibit the use of the word Anzac in trade or business unless approval has been given by the minister for arts, culture and heritage and the governor-general.

Kitset cabin plan comes unstuck

A kitset building company boasting “NZ’s largest range of quality sheds and cabins” has left a Consumer member out of pocket and failed to comply with a Disputes Tribunal order to refund her money.