{"id":21919,"date":"2012-09-11T16:14:56","date_gmt":"2012-09-11T14:14:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=21919"},"modified":"2012-09-12T13:40:38","modified_gmt":"2012-09-12T11:40:38","slug":"cell-c-ads-trash-mtn-asa-ruling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/telecommunications\/21919\/cell-c-ads-trash-mtn-asa-ruling\/","title":{"rendered":"Cell C ads “trash” MTN: ASA ruling"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa (ASA<\/a>) has ruled in favour of MTN<\/a>\u2019s complaints against radio and TV advertisements by Cell C<\/a> that are said to poke fun at the yellow network\u2019s \u201cMTN Zone\u201d product.<\/p>\n

According to the ASA ruling<\/a>, Cell C aired a commercial on TV that opens with one man saying to another \u201cDamn! I\u2019m out of the zone.\u201d<\/p>\n

MTN\u2019s lawyers argued that in the context of the rest of the commercial, Cell C was disparaging MTN Zone<\/a> as no other mobile network operator in SA uses the term \u201czone\u201d in its advertisements.<\/p>\n

Cell C\u2019s lawyers responded that it is permissible in terms of the ASA code to have a \u201cdig\u201d at competitors as a secondary communication in an advertisement. They went on to argue that the word \u201czone\u201d was used within the ordinary meaning of the word.<\/p>\n

In its ruling on the matter, the ASA pointed out that the code does not allow advertisements to attack, discredit or disparage other products, services, advertisers or advertisements directly or indirectly.<\/p>\n

\u201cComparisons highlighting a weakness in an industry or product will not necessarily be regarded as disparaging when the information is factual and in the public interest,\u201d the ASA explained. \u201cIt further states that the ASA shall take cognisance of what it considers to be the intention of the advertiser.\u201d<\/p>\n