Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2011/03/02/talktalk_asa/

TalkTalk silenced over anti-BT comparison

ASA rejects value and price not the same argument

By Joe Fay

Posted in Networks, 2nd March 2011 11:07 GMT

BT has scored a minor victory over TalkTalk, after it had a trio of complaints about the latter's advertising upheld.

BT had objected to an ad punting a TalkTalk phone and broadband package, which claimed users could save £154 over 18 months compared to BT.

TalkTalk was not comparing like with like, complained BT. It claimed the BT package cited was not the most similar to the one TalkTalk was pushing, and was based on a higher line charge than BT's best available. None of BT's own promotions were mentioned, it added.

The ad also attracted a complaint from Plusnet, which challenged TalkTalk's "unbeatable value phone and broadband" claim.

On the first two claims, TalkTalk argued the toss. On the third, it said it was "an oversight" not to have mentioned BT's own promotions.

As to Plusnet's claims, TalkTalk said it was pushing a "value" argument, "a concept which, while related to price was not solely assessed on price".

However, none of this washed with the ASA, which upheld all the complaints, and said TalkTalk must not run the ad again in its current form. ®