Rewards programme FlyBuys found itself in hot water over an
advertisement which depicted a coffee machine available for
purchase, when it was of superior quality to those actually
on offer.
The website ad showed an image of a FrancisFrancis coffee
maker, featured on television shows Sex and the City and Will
and Grace and used by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver.
A customer who owned the model displayed said the ad
presented false information, as FlyBuys did not offer a
coffee machine "even vaguely similar" to the one shown.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled the ad
misleading to consumers.
The ASA said the use of the image implied that particular
model was available, and said images shown should be accurate
reflections of the company's products.
In response, advertiser Loyalty New Zealand maintained it had
not intentionally given false information to its customers,
as the illustration was simply a "creative means" of
depicting the FlyBuys reward.
It said it did not intend to imply the FrancisFrancis model,
or any specific brand, was available.
It said the image clearly showed a "superior and expensive
brand" of coffee maker, and people interested in
coffee-making would be aware of this.
Loyalty New Zealand has removed the picture from their
website and said it would not use it in any future ads.
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