Homebase sale ad banned by watchdog for misleading promotion

The campaign, created by Leo Burnett, featured TV and radio creative including digital ads on www.homebase.co.uk.

The ads stated: "This weekend at Homebase there’s 15% off everything when you spend £50. That’s 15% on top of our other great offers."

On-screen text stated: "15% off excludes delivery charges, installation and gift vouchers."

One complainant challenged that the ads were misleading as they did not make clear that consumers could not use promotional vouchers to buy items as part of the deal.

Homebase admitted that the voucher the complainant had tried to use in conjunction with the promotion was misleading because it did not tell consumers that it could not be used "during Homebase discount days".

The campaign itself was advertising one of these days, for which the retailer apologised, and said that it will endeavour to make conditions of the offer clearer throughout the messaging on its website.

Though Homebase felt the abridged terms and conditions within its ads were sufficient to tell consumers that limitations on the offer applied, the Advertising Standards Authority banned the campaign for giving an "overall impression" that the national discount day offer could be used with all other Homebase offers.

This article was first published on campaignlive.co.uk