No compers allowed

pate-ci0

Just an update on the Audio Bar controversy, received today in response to my ASA complaint:

Your Complaint: The Audio Bar

Thank you for contacting the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) with your complaint about The Audio Bar’s advertising.

First and foremost, please accept my sincere apologies for the delay in responding to you. We’ve been experiencing a particularly busy period which has meant we haven’t been able to respond as quickly as we would like. I apologise for any inconvenience you have been caused and thank you for bearing with us.

You explained that the ad was misleading as you found the advertiser drew a winner multiple times in order to select a winner who did not have a history of winning competitions on Facebook. We’ve assessed the ad you highlighted and, from the information we have, we think they are likely to have breached the Advertising Codes (“the Codes”) that we administer. We are writing to let you know that we have taken steps to address this.

We have explained your concerns to the advertisers and provided guidance to them on the areas that require attention, together with advice on how to ensure that their advertising complies with the Codes.

Thank you once again for taking the time to raise your concerns with us. Comments such as yours help us to understand the issues that matter to consumers and we will keep a record of your complaint on file for use in future monitoring. If you would like more information about our complaint handling principles, please visit our website at https://www.asa.org.uk/Consumers/How-to-complain.aspx.

NBLondon

I'm glad the promoter got a reminder... I can understand they might want something to go to an enthusiast and not just be sold on for profit - but they way round that is to make it an effort contest (show us your work) rather than just discard a winner they didn't like the look of...

On the subject of not selling on... Here's a comp to win some nice soap and face stuff http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5797842 but if you look at the T&C in the second post it says

Prize must be used by the registered winner.

Well - I'm probably going to use about 5% of it and m'wife the rest. How are they going to check?

The entry page also The instructions also say “do not use autofill” – is that another way of trying to check for compers? Surely that would take a fair bit of effort to design the website to identify and disqualify anyone who uses RoboForm or even Chrome AutoFill? Unless they have designed the website so badly that it doesn't register then properly.

timmmers

I just bought a 500 quid microwave from Hughes.
Why? Because it was a prize a few weeks back and I liked it.
I'm a comper, my home if pretty full of stuff I won, but it's a lot fuller of stuff I've bought and a lot of that after seeing it in a comp.
Added to that, a good few people I know also bought stuff after seeing what I won and wanting one too.
At the end of the day it's a marketing tool to run a comp, and marketing is best when it reaches the maximum number of people , or results in a strong link between potential customers and the company. How many people do we know who bought from AO after contact with them and their comps? I know a hell of a lot.
Banning compers is banning potential customers and asking for negative feedback and word of mouth..just like this thread.

timmmers

NBLondon wrote: »

I'm glad the promoter got a reminder... I can understand they might want something to go to an enthusiast and not just be sold on for profit - but they way round that is to make it an effort contest (show us your work) rather than just discard a winner they didn't like the look of...

On the subject of not selling on... Here's a comp to win some nice soap and face stuff http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5797842 but if you look at the T&C in the second post it says Well - I'm probably going to use about 5% of it and m'wife the rest. How are they going to check?

The entry page also The instructions also say “do not use autofill” – is that another way of trying to check for compers? Surely that would take a fair bit of effort to design the website to identify and disqualify anyone who uses RoboForm or even Chrome AutoFill? Unless they have designed the website so badly that it doesn't register then properly.

Easy to stop any autofill. Many do. It's also easy to name the form fields wrongly, so got example, the form says first name, surname..but the code names those the other ay round. Thus any auto filling will not see that.

darkangel-42

I heard from someone promoting a comp on Twitter that they (that specific person, at least) will check the feed of the winner to see if A)they're only comping and B)they actually have an interest in the field the prize is in so that they're not 'some bored stay at home mum' or 'just in it to sell' the prize.
I find it wildly unfair and assumed it was probably illegal so obviously did say that to this particular promoter. Who are they to decide a person's interests? Certainly not all my hobbies are broadcast on Twitter and sometimes I'll enter something that my kid/husband/mum might want so there's really no way to check that.

hdh74

I can understand that companies and or bloggers get miffed when it's obvious that some people don't even have a clue what prize they are entering for. But it's easy enough, just make the competition relevant to what you are giving away and your company. Engage people by how you run the comp. It often amuses me when I see a company giving away something like an ipad when they sell sausages - nice prize but not particulary relevant to the audience you're trying to attract. And a lot of the comps that attract the least interested compers are like and share stuff on social media. Enter enough of those and it's enough to turn anyone into a comping zombie.

sleepyjones

Don't even get me started on Bloggers ... they're just Glorified compers with a fancy title, they get free products to test and keep and then get an extra one to give away ... at least when the company gives it away it has a cost to them, to bloggers it has none so, of all people, they have least right to moan

bubblebobble23

I've literally just seen a blogger begging people to engage with thier advertisers and sponsors to make sure they get paid!

I feel like there is one big circle of bloggers all blagging freebies and loving each other . Noone truly enjoys their rubbish reviews / "content :rotfl:

Daphne01

I find some bloggers very informative and enjoy reading a particular one. I wouldn't have thought I'm the only one

Verksies

bubblebobble23 wrote: »

I've literally just seen a blogger begging people to engage with thier advertisers and sponsors to make sure they get paid!

I feel like there is one big circle of bloggers all blagging freebies and loving each other . Noone truly enjoys their rubbish reviews / "content :rotfl:

I have a blog, but I very rarely do reviews on it. Its mostly just my life and ramblings lol.

I find a lot of blogs get so swamped by reviews its just blatant advertising. There are very few I actually read who I dont feel are walking advertisements nowadays