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Johannesburg -
A hotel chain that claimed to have lowered its prices when it
had in fact increased them has fallen foul of the Advertising
Standards Authority (ASA).
At issue were two Road Lodge billboards in Randburg.
The first billboard, at the entrance to a Road Lodge, said among
other things: "We've lowered our prices."
The second billboard, positioned lower than the first, said:
"Rooms from R445."
The ASA said a former guest of the hotel had complained that the
R445 was an increase on the tariff of December 2009, when he stayed
at the Road Lodge.
In response, ad agency TBWA Hunt Lascaris said the City Lodge
group of hotels' standard tariff increase happened in February each
year.
The agency claimed the message "We've lowered our prices" was a
"creative concept" and referred to the fact that Road Lodge offered
the best rates in the City Lodge group.
It also pointed out that "as a literal depiction" the second
billboard with the rate on was physically lower than the first.
However the ASA said in a ruling that a hypothetical reasonable
person would interpret the claim "We've lowered our prices" to mean
just that.
It ordered City Lodge to withdraw the lower prices claim.
- Sapa