Posted on 04/09/2015 12:22:46 PM PDT by drewh
DirecTV has pulled a popular advertising campaign featuring actor Rob Lowe after cable company Comcast complained that many of the ads’ claims could not be supported by evidence.
The ads feature two “versions” of Lowe – the “cool” DirecTV subscriber Rob Lowe, and the “Super Creepy” cable subscriber Rob Lowe. Various iterations of the ads substitute “Super Creepy” for other derogatory versions of the character, like “Painfully Awkward” Rob Lowe, or “Broken-Down Less Attractive” Rob Lowe.
Cable company Comcast made several complaints about the ad campaign to the National Advertising Division (NAD) of the Better Business Bureau, which hears claims about untruthful or unsupported messages in advertising, according to the Los Angeles Times. This week, the NAD agreed with Comcast that many of the claims made in the ads, including that satellite TV offers better picture and sound quality and shorter wait times for customer service, could not be backed up by the satellite company. The agency also took issue with Lowe’s signature line, delivered at the end of each individual ad: “Don’t be like this me. Get rid of cable and upgrade to DirecTV.” According to the Times, the NAD said the line “conveyed a comparative and unsupported superiority message.”
DirecTV has since started a new ad campaign featuring Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Hannah Davis. But the company said it would appeal the NAD’s decision.
The company has reportedly not ruled out working with Lowe on a series of similar spots in the future.
According to the report, the campaign was highly effective; DirecTV signed up 149,000 customers in the fourth quarter of 2014 after having lost 28,000 subscribers in its previous quarter.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
Yeah, for Hollywood, rob Lowe (mature rob Lowe) is not bad.
No, the rob Lowe ones are funny. Flo I’d like to see shot and killed in an ad (and it can be a snuff film for the actress who plays Flo for all I care, LOL). She makes my stomach contents rise.
Probably people leaving dish because they kept cutting off channels.
Yeah!
Thank God!!!!!
They should have pulled them because they are stupid and annoying.
Yep, watched that game.
I always feel like Joe Nathan looks like that character on the TV Show OZ, which also starred JK.
Baseball gods have smiled upon us here in Detroit . . . Joe Nathan is on the DL!!!
Did you catch Prince Fielders’ botched catch attempt on that foul ball last night. The guy is useless, be glad you got rid of him.
Sounds like they hope to start today’s game in about 20 minutes. Bet the Twins can’t wait to get out of town after the way the first 2 games have gone.
And there was much rejoicing. Those commercials were bad, and some were creepy.
DirecTV should launch a counterclaim of false advertising over Comcast ads claiming they offer customer service.
Sadly, with this legal stunt they pulled the jokes on them. Man, what looser's!
TV delivery is fragmenting.
There are so many ways to receive programs now that a price war is inevitable.
#15 This shows that the clothes make the man!
Maybe the law was different in 1988, but in 2015 the age of consent in Georgia is 16.
“I’ve got a BINGO!” ...”Is that how you say it?” ...”NO, you just say ‘bingo’” ...”BINGO!”
I can’t believe I’m the only one to point this out. Too bad for Rob Lowe. Now bring out the Swimsuit model!!
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