SKY ADVERT ordered to be removed after an advertising watchdog found it “was likely to mislead” customers.
The advert in question concerned a bundle offered by the company which consisted of broadband and Sky TV.
The total price of the bundle according to the advert ,which was broadcast in September 2020, was £39 after being cut down from £52.
Rival internet provider BT reported the ad to The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) after believing that the price of Sky TV and Broadband was less than £52 when bought together.
BT also challenged whether the savings claim made in the advert was misleading and could be backed up.
In response to this claim, Sky said that price of £52 referred to the total cost of Sky Signature TV and their superfast broadband products.
According to Sky the saving stated in the ad consisted of a £4 per month saving on the existing contract price of Sky TV and a £9 saving on the existing contract price of their broadband.
Sky claimed: “The saving reflected the price difference when taking those products as a package, compared with taking the same products, separately, at their standard in-contract prices which totalled £52 per month.”
Today, the ASA announced that the advert had breached advertising rules saying: “The savings claim did not represent a genuine saving against a usual selling price, we concluded that it was likely to mislead and breached the Code.”
Due to this, the ad cannot appear in its current form and Sky have been told that future adverts concerning savings must represent a genuine saving.
Just this week Sky announced they had confirmed plans to increase prices for millions of their customers across the UK.
According to their new plan, the majority of customers will pay an extra £36 over the next year.
The worst affected by the price hike will need to scrape together an extra £72 a year to continue paying for their service.
A spokesperson for Sky told said: “We appreciate the importance of keeping our customers informed, connected and entertained.
“We know price increases are never welcome and we try to keep prices down whilst still delivering the content our customers love, the flexibility to choose the package that suits them and with leading customer service.”
