Agency promises not to make competitor comparisons in future ads

A Hampshire estate agency has promised the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) not to make competitor comparisons which cannot be independently verified in its future advertising campaigns.

The agreement comes after a complaint was made against Bournes Town & Country to the advertising watchdog.

The complaint was made against a circular issued by the Andover firm.

The advertisement included an image of a property marketed by one of Bournes' direct competitors Austin Hawk. 

It was accompanied by the text: '3 VIEWINGS NO SALE TIME WASTED'.

It was then compared to the same property marketed by Bournes with the accompanying text: '12 VIEWINGS SOLD STC SUCCESS'.

Additional text stated: 'Originally advertised with your agent then swapped to Bournes'.

The complainant argued that there are a variety of factors which could impact on a house sale and therefore challenged whether the comparison in the ad was misleading.

The ASA then took up the complaint with Bournes, which said that the circular was no longer being distributed.

The agency agreed not to make competitor comparisons which included details that customers cannot independently verify and assured the watchdog that all future advertising would be compliant with ASA rules.

"We considered no further action was necessary and closed the case on an informal basis," says an ASA spokesperson.