uSwitch.com Mobile Phone News

Motorola Dext ad campaign blocked

1

Comment
News

Posted 9th April 2010 at 11:45am by Ewan Taylor-Gibson

motorola dext large

An advertisement that claimed that the Motorola Dext was the "first phone with social skills" is misleading, the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) has ruled.

In a complaint to the watchdog, rival manufacturer INQ claimed that the term 'social skills' cannot readily be applied to a mobile phone on the grounds that inanimate objects cannot possess the qualities usually associated with the phrase, including good manners and proper etiquette.

INQ also said that if the slogan was taken in the manner that Motorola intended it, which was to make an inference about the social networking capabilities of the Dext, then this was also misleading, as INQ says its own mobiles offered similar functions first.

Motorola has countered by claiming that the Dext is superior to INQ's phones in many ways and therefore merited its description of its capabilities as a social networking optimised mobile.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) was made aware of the ad and INQ's complaints and it said that whilst INQ's mobiles are certainly less capable than the Dext and has concurred with its grievances.

Motorola's suggestion that its smartphone was the first to introduce a unified platform for social networking is fallacious and therefore the ad campaign is misleading, the ASA said.

The manufacturer has now been ordered to make changes to the ad before it can be aired again.

More news on: Business, Advertising & brands, Motorola, Android mobile phones, Motorola Dext, Facebook mobile phones, Smart mobile phones

1

Comment

1 Comment

  • Ray Mcdermott, 9th April 2010.

    Crikey: I don't think anyone really thought it was the only phone for social networking after they saw the ad. It's a slogan. Nothing more, nothing less. And ppl are clever enough to see it for that, surely?

    Reply

Add your comment

Please enter your name