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 ...
Transgender Rob Lowe should stir things up nicely.
I thought those ads were adorable. Nothing I love more than a good looking man who can make fun of himself.
(I have no dog in this fight; no cable or dish.)
LOL! He could pull it off. ;)
I am happy with Verizon FIOS.
I despise Comcast and never tried DirectTV.
Rob Lowe has made some surprisingly conservative statements in recent years. Seems to take a very dim view of the clusterfoxtrot who currently occupies 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
He clearly grew up after the 88 DNC Convention.
If he’s a Republican as reported, it’s no wonder that Commiecast has gone after the ads.
Funny commercials. Horribly unsupported claims.
Stupidest commercials ever! Right behind Flo on Progressive Insurance
I am offended by the offended offenders who are probably racist too.
Get a life people.
We pulled the plug on Direct TV last spring, primarily because of cost. Have recently been bombarded with ads trying to get us to come back and can have same package as before but at one-fourth the cost, at least for the first year of a two year contract. Wonder if this could have anything to do with their having so many new subscribers or if they, like the government, play games with the numbers.
“Nothing I love more than a good looking man who can make fun of himself.”
Sorry, I’m taken.
I’d love to see him do.
“I’m 2016 Republican Convention Rob Lowe”
“And I’m 1988 Democrat Convention Rob Lowe.”
good one.
What, was he pretending to be a liberal democrat, was that want got the retards on the left all riled up? ;)
I like his Chris Treager character on Parks and Recreation.
Rob Lowe anti Chris Treager skit. (Language warning)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJmT7jsfENo
He really can play great opposites.
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