UK smacks Apple for another misleading iPhone commercial

We figured Apple would've learned its lesson after the UK's Advertising Standards Authority banned those "the real internet" iPhone commercials, but it looks like Steve's back in detention -- the ASA just ruled that another ad claiming that the iPhone is "really fast" is also misleading enough to be pulled. You've probably seen the similar US version of the ad, which shows the iPhone 3G loading a web page, switching to Maps to locate itself, downloading an attachment, and then finally taking a call, all in 30 seconds -- yeah, that doesn't happen. Apple claimed that its "Network performance may vary by location" disclaimer was enough to keep it safe, but the ASA wasn't having that: it said that the ad was likely to lead viewers to believe the iPhone was really that speedy. Of course, we're pretty certain most people understand that reality and advertising don't really have anything do with each other, but we're not the ones in charge -- just wait till the ASA finds out that drinking gallons of beer doesn't actually make you more attractive. Check the ad in question after the break.

[Thanks, David]

[why not the LS2LS7? @ Nov 26th 2008 12:16PM]

The one where it recognizes music (Honeysuckle Weeks) now says at the bottom "time sequences have been compressed" at the start of the commercial.

Looks like Apple is getting the message.

[McLovin @ Nov 26th 2008 1:31PM]

Apple is shady like that,

Case in point: Anyone notice how Apple tries to make people associate Shazam (awesome app) with the iPhone? I was astounded to see that Apple had an entire commercial about the capabilities of of Shazam, and they only mentioned Shazam once.

It's clear as day that they want to assiciate the iPhone with music recognition, as they sucessfuly associated the iPhone with touch screens.

What a bunch of dingdongs

[Lowest Ranked @ Nov 26th 2008 12:57PM]

What about the front of cereal boxes, "Image has been enlarged to show texture."

Does the ASA pitch a fit when they pour it out and they don't find 5" Fruit Loops?

[Mary @ Nov 26th 2008 1:28PM]

Someone should slap Verizon and RIM with a case of those accelerated BlackBerry Storm ads too. I got by yesterday and the updates didn't make it that much better - $&@"!

If you haven't read about it yet go to http://admiralh.wordpress.com and read that person's exhaustive review... It's crazy long. I should have read it before I got my Storm. Yes, I am suffering buyer's remorse now.

[McLovin @ Nov 26th 2008 2:06PM]

Back on the whole Shazam thing

How dare they say: "That's the iPhone, Solving life's problems one app at a time." (referring to Shazam)

Are you F'n kidding me? I had no idea, Apple created Shazam! (as the commercial would emply)

Is there anyone bold enough to say tha Apple is not trying to market Shazam as a unique feature of the iPhone, opposed to an independent, licensed application?

Oh the macoganda is killing me! Apple marketing = dingdongs.

[bobartig @ Nov 26th 2008 3:09PM]

@McLovin: No, because its not true. It's abundantly clear from the ad that Shazam is an App Store App, and that you need to get that App to have that functionality. Did you even watch the commercial before deciding to whinge about it?

[Quix @ Nov 26th 2008 3:18PM]

"Apple is shady like that" - McLovin

And my Big Mac doesn't look anything like the ones on the McDonald's ads, and Microsoft definitely doesn't take me "where I want to go today."

Apparently all advertising is "shady like that." But don't let me pee in your Apple haterade. Keep on swiggin'!

[McLovin @ Nov 26th 2008 4:01PM]

@Quix
I predict that you'll get low-rankings soon!

Reason:
Neither Microsoft nor McDonlalds attempts to swindle consumers by taking advantage of the sudden popularity of 3rd party brands.

I mean can you imagine
Microsoft:
"Windows Mobile takes advatage of triangular location, technology allowing you to locate yourself even if you don't have a GPS unit. You simply hit this button and boom, ther's you approximate location. Windows Mobile, Solving Life's problems One App at a Time"

Would that be fair, knowing that you'd be using Google Maps to do this (which is, btw available for a large number of mbile OS or did you think Apple created that?) ?

Quix, you're still a DING-DONG!

[Eli R. @ Nov 26th 2008 6:55PM]

though this case is not as severe, has anyone seen the add for the G1 where they advertise the barcode reader? It's similar to this,
but yes, i agree, i've been using shazaam on my s60 device for a while now...

[Quix @ Nov 26th 2008 9:23PM]

"I predict that you'll get low-rankings soon!" - McLovin

Of course I'll get low ranked. This is the Engadget comments section. If you don't foam at the mouth ranting about Apple stuff or slobber all over Microsoft with love and affection, the tools that swarm this blog will vote you down. Fact.

And since you failed at reading comprehension, the OP had nothing to do with "3rd party brands." It had to do with deceptive advertising, i.e. making your product look unrealistically appealing. You know, like is done with pretty much every ad on TV. Hmm, isn't Microsoft getting sued for understating the hardware requirements for "Vista Ready?" Yeah, that's what I thought. Microsoft is shady like that.

Now rank me down again, Redmond Horde.

Astroturf Different.

[HOOPER @ Nov 26th 2008 11:51PM]

lol, lowest ranked is lowest ranked

[autoprime @ Nov 26th 2008 12:17PM]

kinda wish they were this serious about 'false advertising' over here(US).

[Student Driver @ Nov 26th 2008 12:30PM]

Yeah, explaining how the iPhone really doesn't work like that to others gets old, especially when they compare it to whatever phone (or even laptop) they are using. Ugh.

[pball_inuyaha @ Nov 26th 2008 12:35PM]

I was thinking the same thing when I read the article title. When I see ads most of them are horrible either just plain horrible or really misleading or practically lying. I'm also confused by how movies and such get edited so much yet there are commercials of women in lingerie. That I think is quite a double standard. I think if I had a kid I'd rather have them cussing than thinking women are supposed to be thin and look perfect.

[holycow @ Nov 26th 2008 12:54PM]

Like this ad:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqwHRgYjgso

At the end it should say: "And this is when you realize... that your game has crashed and you have to start all over. Congratulations!"

[Saad @ Dec 1st 2008 9:50AM]

Hear Hear! - spot on, spot on.

[matt @ Nov 26th 2008 2:31PM]

The ASA have a lot of clout. Among the apple issues, recently Virgin media has ads withdrawn concerning its 'unlimited' internet. Cosmetic companies promoting something where '76% of those surveyed found a noticeable improvement' have to include the sample size, as often these are laughably small.

I am not sure if the Mac vs PC ones were withdrawn by the ASA, ads where you slag off a competitor are generally frowned upon. I didn't think they worked that well anyway, as the Mac came across as smug and arrogant, although this may be fairly close to the mark.

[Snitch @ Nov 26th 2008 3:04PM]

It's not false advertising, the iphone & any other device is capable of that speed and more it's just that sometimes people forget they're sharing a network and sometimes think that the 3G network is dedicated to themselves, just think of how many morons are sharing the same local network as you with jailbroken iphone downloading all kinds of crazy shit and messing up your connection at the same time

[holycow @ Nov 26th 2008 3:33PM]

Snitch:
let's say you are right and the network speed IS actually that awesome-ly insanely fast, but the thing is the iPhone itself isnt that fast. The way they switch through all those apps makes it seem like a super phone with Intel i7 inside.

[Sisyphus @ Nov 26th 2008 4:02PM]

"Of course, we're pretty certain most people understand that reality and advertising don't really have anything do with each other."

Faking the on-screen functionality is harder to detect. Its not like this is a Best Buy ad with an obviously fake picture of some game on a computer monitor.

The iPhone commercials look completley believable. The average consumer isn't going to think about whether or not all of that is possible in the allotted timeframe. (As a technophile, even I missed this in the ads since it looked like standard iPhone stuff).

[Chris @ Nov 26th 2008 12:18PM]

wait, drinking lots of beer doens't make one more attractive?!? dammit!

[MattWPBS @ Nov 26th 2008 12:30PM]

Implying that's actually against the guidelines in the UK as well.

[joe23521 @ Nov 26th 2008 12:39PM]

No, but it does make ugly people around you more attractive.

[Mobius_1 @ Nov 26th 2008 2:06PM]

Only to other drunk people.

[james @ Nov 26th 2008 12:21PM]

ad fail.

[OneLove @ Nov 26th 2008 12:23PM]

Why must there be a classmates.com ad between every article on every page. OFMG!

[John @ Nov 26th 2008 12:31PM]

No, I will not have sex with your God!

[Attila a Hun @ Nov 26th 2008 12:35PM]

what do you mean by "OFMG"?

[Patriks7 @ Nov 26th 2008 12:38PM]

Try an ad blocker?

[Blazeitup123 @ Nov 26th 2008 1:38PM]

i have not seen an add in 2 years. Firefox + Adblock = obvious

[Nihility @ Nov 26th 2008 3:40PM]

You do realize that ads pay for all the free content you see online, right?

[Ghen @ Nov 26th 2008 5:38PM]

You realize that the % of people that use adblock, or even the % that knows how to install it if someone tells them about it is extremely low compared to the % of people that see and click on ads?

Besides that, geeks don't click web ads anyway.. We prefer to go to sites by typing addresses manually to avoid the cookie you obtain clicking the ad.

[MikeWard1701 @ Nov 26th 2008 5:52PM]

@Nihility

Yep, and there's more than enough idiots online to read and click on them to fund the websites. I don't want to waste my (loading, scrolling, and reading) time on ads for products/services I'm not remotely interested in and would never consider buying.

As Blazeitup123 said, Firefox + AdBlock = FTW!

[Ian @ Nov 29th 2008 10:41PM]

OFMG? http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=2024729753

[Ben @ Nov 26th 2008 12:24PM]

"Of course, we're pretty certain most people understand that reality and advertising don't really have anything do with each other,"

Serious? What cave have you guys been hiding out in, and can I join you?

People are that stupid. Maybe not the average selection of folks reading a gadget blog, but go out on the street and pick a dozen people at random.

[Ignatius @ Nov 26th 2008 1:27PM]

A person is smart, people are stupid.

[Eco Ria @ Nov 26th 2008 1:31PM]

I agree with you. People are that stupid.

Take for example those that think that the President Elect is a terrorist and will destroy this country by nuking it.

(The lady at the front desk actually believes that says that he should change his name if he wants to be her president)

So yeah, people believe what they hear and see. I agree.

[Yamikotai @ Nov 26th 2008 1:32PM]

"None of us is as dumb as all of us" - I love that quote ^_^

[mediumsizedrob @ Nov 26th 2008 12:25PM]

"we're pretty certain most people understand that reality and advertising don't really have anything do with each other."

You saw the lines outside of Apple stores right?

[Fernando @ Nov 26th 2008 12:25PM]

Wait you mean it isn't that fast?

[Samboini @ Nov 26th 2008 1:26PM]

Definitely maybe.

[Motoken @ Nov 26th 2008 12:26PM]

i agree, if i did not know anything about the iPhone, i would be lead to believe that it could actually do all of that at that speed. if only the US had such a standard in false advertising.

[Zak @ Nov 26th 2008 12:31PM]

If they did, there would be no more advertising... ever. The ASA just likes picking on Apple.

Unless you'd like to try to prove that no other ads on TV are misleading. Hey I tried Axe shower spray and women didn't stick to me like magnets. I had a DiGiorno pizza and I could, in fact, taste the difference between that and a fresh baked pizza. Would you like me to keep going for several thousand more pages?

Do you think the ads for the Blackberry Storm aren't misleading? Do you think the ads for the G1 aren't misleading? Apparently that's exactly what the ASA thinks. Only Apple accelerates features of their products to fit into a 30 second spot. Sure, I'll buy that.

[BLaugh @ Nov 26th 2008 12:47PM]

There's obviously a difference between an opinion (DiGiorno), a hyperbole (Orbitz gum), comic effect (Axe), and representing something as real (iPhone speed) in a commercial.

Obviously you won't believe someone saying "This is the best tasting pizza/beer/ice cream/ whatever" in a commercial, but if they show you the pizza baking in less than 5 minutes and it takes 20, then you have a problem. Presenting something as a fact that isn't true but is believable is totally different.

[Aaron @ Nov 26th 2008 12:50PM]

The ASA isn't "just picking on Apple". Firstly, the ASA will only respond if someone complains. Secondly, Apple's rivals don't make claims anywhere near as bold as Apple in the UK. Usually they just stick to the phone's features or what you can do with the phone.

[Zak @ Nov 26th 2008 12:59PM]

BLaugh: Seriously? You're going to defend other ads that exaggerate as "an opinion"? Have you ever seen a DiGiorno pizza ad? It's not an opinion, they're telling you right to your face that you won't be able to tell the difference. What I'm saying is that the ASA will ignore something like that, and go straight for Apple. I don't need to prove that, because they already proved it for me.

Aaron: So what you're saying is either A) there are no misleading ads in the UK except for ads by Apple, or B) there are other misleading ads but nobody complains about them because Apple is an easier target to hate.

One of those two things has to be true,and I doubt it's the one about Apple being the only advertiser in the UK that has a slightly misleading ad - and it's misleading only in the sense that they accelerated the functions to fit the ad into a 30 second spot. What it's actually doing is not misleading at all.

[rlynd3 @ Nov 26th 2008 1:07PM]

@Zak, "You're an idiot"... Now was that a fact or an opinion?..

[ijyt @ Nov 26th 2008 1:12PM]

Zak, a pizza and an iPhone is not the samething. Clearly a misleading advert about an expensive piece of tech would be higher on the list of concerns over the exact taste of a pizza.

[bandigolo @ Nov 26th 2008 1:12PM]

fact.

[Aaron @ Nov 26th 2008 1:17PM]

Zak - Apple aren't the only company to have ads pulled in the UK. However, their ads certainly make wilder claims than most other tech ads.

"it's misleading only in the sense that they accelerated the functions to fit the ad into a 30 second spot."

They accelerated it up and cut out segments of the process whilst saying "This is how you..." and gave no indication that the process was sped up. Very few companies would dare to do that in the UK.

It's also worth pointing out that Apple don't run their "I'm a Mac adverts" in the UK any more. I don't know why. I also don't know why Microsoft are running their adverts "I'm a PC" adverts. Why run them in a market without Apple's original ads?