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Bulletin: 17/1
Batch: 240
Reference: 26691
Product: Health & Beauty
Advertiser: Brown Cow Beauty Boutiques
Agency:
Medium: Social Media (Facebook)
ASAI Code 7th Edition: 2.4c, 3.10, 4.1, 4.4, 5.30
The advertisement stated:
“Brown Cow Carrickmines
Happy JULY girls..... Back by ever popular demand...... IT'S 3 for 2 across the entire Dermalogica range from Friday 1st of July. Buy any THREE products and get the cheapest one absolutely FREE. Like and share to be in to win your 3 Dermalogica favourites. Xxxxx
THIS IS NOT A LUXURY
THIS IS YOUR SKIN’S FUTURE
3 FOR 2
Dermalogica
...what every girl needs…”The complainant said she went to the store to make a purchase and asked if the three for two offer was still running, which she had previously seen in the shop window. She was informed that it was not but that she could avail of a free travel set worth €30 with any two items purchased from the Dermalogica range.
The complainant said on returning home she checked the advertisers’ Facebook page to discover that the offer was still being advertised. She said the offer had not contained an end date. She considered the advertising to be misleading.
The advertisers said the Dermalogica three for two promotion referred to by the complainant had been advertised on their Facebook page and in their salon. They said the offer had stated that customers could pick any three Dermalogica products and receive the cheapest one absolutely free. They said the complainant had chosen three products from across the entire range and only paid for two, the cheapest product was provided to her free of charge. They said had the complainant been unhappy with the products she had chosen, on returning them to the salon in their original condition, she would have been provided with a full refund.
Further Information:
The Executive contacted the advertisers again and asked them for further comments on the fact that the complainant had stated that she had been unable to avail of the offer as advertised; she had instead been advised that she could avail of a free travel set worth €30 with any two purchases from the Dermalogica range. The advertisers did not provide a response to the Executive’s further query.Complaint upheld.
The Complaints Committee considered the details of the complaint and the advertisers’ response. The Committee expressed their concern at the advertisers’ failure to respond in full to the complaint. The Committee noted that there was no closing date for the offer in the advertising. They also noted that while the complainant had been given a free travel set as a third free item, the advertisement had indicated that consumers could buy three items of their choice and receive the cheapest for free. As the complainant had not been able to avail of the offer as advertised, the Committee considered the advertising was in breach of Sections 4.1 and 5.30(a) of the Code.
ACTION REQUIRED:
The advertisement should not run in its current format again and all future promotions should contain a closing date.