Motorola has come under fire for its Defy smartphone adverts, which according to the Advertising Standards Watchdog contained misleading claims.
The mobile maker billed the Defy model as a “pool party proof”, “dance floor proof” and “life proof” handset in an advertising campaign which was broadcast back in April.
One of the adverts claimed the mobile phone was “water resistant, scratch resistant and dust proof” in one television advert, while another showed the device falling to the ground in a nightclub.
The commercials prompted complaints from three customers, who said the screens cracked when they accidentally dropped their phones .
Britain’s advertising regulator – the Advertising Standards Watchdog – was called in to investigate after the complainants challenged whether the ads misleadingly exaggerated the durability of the smartphone .
It upheld the complaints after concluding that the advertisements suggested the handset would not be damaged when it was dropped from the height shown, and therefore “misleadingly exaggerated the performance of the product”.
The ASA ruled that the two ads “must not be broadcast again in their current form” and warned Motorola to ensure future ads are not misleading.