The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned an ad for Nike trainers, citing misleading information.
- The ad displayed on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, promoted £26 Nike trainers.
- Complaints were received as the trainers were only available in sizes UK 3-6, contrary to consumer expectations.
- Nike claimed that a commercial arrangement allowed The Sole Supplier to run ads without prior approval.
- The ASA concluded the ad failed to clarify the size limitations, resulting in a misleading impression.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has officially banned a social media advertisement for Nike trainers, determining it to be misleading. The ad, positioned on platform X, previously recognised as Twitter, highlighted Nike trainers priced at £26. However, the offer was only applicable to shoe sizes UK 3-6, which was not immediately clear to consumers.
The ad’s legitimacy was called into question following numerous complaints from consumers who anticipated a broader range of adult sizes. The ASA’s rigorous examination revealed that the ad potentially led consumers to form an inaccurate understanding of the product offering.
Upon further scrutiny, it was confirmed that Nike had a commercial agreement with The Sole Supplier, enabling the affiliate to advertise products independently, without obtaining prior approval from Nike. Nike’s defence suggested that because commissions were tied to sales rather than clicks, there was reduced motivation for misleading advertisements, as per the ASA’s findings.
Despite this argument, the ASA considered the ad’s brief description, which included the promotional price and brand name, insufficient in conveying to consumers the actual size limitations. Consequently, they found that the ad did not inform consumers about the trainers being intended for older children, not adults.
Further, the ASA noted that the impression of the trainers being adult-sized was compounded by the text ‘Now just £26’ and the use of an exploding head emoji. The absence of crucial information about the sizing misled consumers, and the ASA concluded the ad was misleading by omission.
The ruling mandates that the advertisement must not reappear in its criticised form. Moreover, Nike and The Sole Supplier are instructed to ensure all future advertisements clearly include material information, such as size limitations, to prevent consumers from reaching potentially misleading conclusions.
The ASA’s decision underscores the necessity for transparency in advertising, ensuring consumers are well-informed before making purchasing decisions.
