Denver Search Engine Optimization | Advertising Information | links | site map
Advertising Information

Commercial: Consumer - Discounts - Misleading Advertising


Marketing is an important tool for attracting customers. It is commonplace to see banners announcing bargains of "70% off the retail price." However a recent High Court decision illustrates that care must be taken with such marketing.

In the case of Office of Fair Trading v Officers Club Ltd and another [2005], the defendant advertised products at 70% off the retail price. The relevant product was offered for sale in a limited number of stores at a higher price for a period of 28 days before being released to most of the stores at the discounted price.

The Office of Fair Trading issued proceedings claiming that such a strategy was misleading to consumers.

The defendant claimed that:

there was no misleading advertising as the strategy had at all times complied with the guidelines enshrined in the Code of Practice for Traders on Price Indications issued by the Department for Trade and Industry; and it was legally impossible for them to be in contravention of the misleading advertising rules when they were complying with the code.

The court rejected these arguments and found that:

the Code of Practice was designed to give retailers a degree of certainty while granting the regulatory authorities flexibility to curtail misleading practices despite strict adherence to the code; although the defendant had offered the products for sale at the higher price in accordance with the Code, he had not had a genuine belief that it could sell the products at those prices; and the adverts were misleading.

Sales and discount offers are an effective way of bringing in consumers and boosting revenue, however, businesses should be wary of using marketing strategies that may be misleading or in bad faith.

If you require further information contact us.

Email: enquiries@rtcoopers.com

© RT COOPERS, 2005. This Briefing Note does not provide a comprehensive or complete statement of the law relating to the issues discussed nor does it constitute legal advice. It is intended only to highlight general issues. Specialist legal advice should always be sought in relation to particular circumstances.

Full service commercial law firm based in the City of London specialising in Biotechnology Law, Employment Lawyers, Media lawyers, Entertainment Solicitors, Pharmaceutical Lawyers, Intellectual Property Law, Litigation, Corporate Finance, Copyright, Redundancies, Commercial Lawyers, Commercial Law, Commercial Contracts, Data Protection, property lawyers.

Contact us at enquiries@rtcoopers.com. Visit our website at http://www.rtcoopers.com


MORE RESOURCES:

Town Hall

On the Call: McClatchy CEO Gary Pruitt
BusinessWeek
CEO Gary Pruitt touched upon the company's efforts to strike the right balance between online advertising and reader fees during a Thursday conference call ...
McClatchy profit down 83 percent, ad sales fallReuters
McClatchy's second-quarter profit declinesSacramento Bee
McClatchy Reports Second Quarter 2010 EarningsMarketWatch (press release)
Poynter.org -News & Observer -Bizjournals.com
all 178 news articles »


New Zealand Herald

Yahoo Japan for better search and advertisings services joined hands with Google
ABH News
Google is also for Yahoo Inc. to provide search advertising delivery platform. In other words, Google's technology to provide search advertising for Yahoo ...
Yahoo Japan Teams Up With Google SearchDailyFinance

all 869 news articles »


Bogusky Turns Back on Career as Advertising Fails to Reveal Deeper Truth
Bloomberg
Alex Bogusky, former creative director of Crispin Porter & Bogusky advertising agency. ...

and more »


Marvel Issuing Takedowns Over Thor Trailer; Hey Marvel: Trailers Are Advertising
Techdirt
The whole idea of it is to act as advertising for the movie and get people more interested in seeing the movie. And having people put it online for you ...

and more »


Volt Advertising Likely to Go After Nissan's Leaf
AdAge.com (subscription)
But the similarities end there, and consumers can expect the advertising to play up the differences. GM, for example, will likely attempt to convey a sense ...

and more »


DirectNews

What earnings reports have revealed about ads
BusinessWeek
July 16: Gannett Co., the largest US newspaper publisher, shows signs it's moving closer to ending a 3 1/2-year slump in print advertising, though it still ...
Microsoft plans to protest Yahoo Japan-Google partnershipWashington Post
Microsoft Will Try to Block Google-Yahoo Japan DealPC World
Google revamps image search functionsMinneapolis Star Tribune
NewsyStocks.com -Wall Street Journal -CNET
all 65 news articles »


Should Food Advertising to Children Be Restricted?
New York Times
Once again, the food industry objects to tougher advertising standards. It claims its own voluntary guidelines are sufficient to protect public health, ...



Belo 2Q Profit Doubles On Ad Demand, Cost Cuts
Wall Street Journal
s (BLC) second-quarter profit almost doubled on strength from advertising revenue and cost cuts, while results came in just below analysts' expectations. ...
Belo Sees 13% Rise In Local RevsMediaPost Publications
Television Company Belo Corp. (BLC) Reports Results for Second Quarter 2010PR Newswire (press release)
A.H. Belo loses less in 2Q but ad revenue is downLas Vegas Sun
paidContent.org
all 21 news articles »


Mediaset 2Q Pft Up On Advertising Spending Growth
Wall Street Journal
MI), Italy's largest private broadcaster, said Thursday that second-quarter net profit jumped 23% as advertising spending returned to growth in its core ...
Mediaset First-Half Profit Rises 34% on Increased AdvertisingBusinessWeek
Mediaset net jumps on ad recovery, sees more growthReuters

all 20 news articles »


Present at the Birth of Modern Advertising
Wall Street Journal
In the nascent days of advertising, in the first half of the 20th century, no one was more successful—or more influential—than Albert ...

and more »

Google News

home | site map
© 2006