Microsoft brought to book by ads watchdog

 

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By Barry Collins

Posted on 7 Oct 2009 at 10:09

Microsoft has had its knuckles rapped by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for offering exam discounts that weren't available in the UK.

The offending promotion appeared on the front of a Microsoft study guide. The offer promised a "25% exam discount, plus free online pre-test!", with the promise of further details inside.

Alas, it later became clear that the offer was only available in Microsoft's US homeland.

"Microsoft did not respond in writing to our enquiries but told us over the telephone that it had understood that the book was not available in the UK, however it had since realised that was not the case," the ASA's adjudication claims.

The complaint was upheld on the grounds that it "did not go far enough to remove the impression given by the claim on the cover that the exam discount was available to everyone."

Microsoft has, of course, been told not to run the ad again.