Glamour Rapped For Subscriber Complaints

Condé Nast fell victim to the success of its new fashion title Glamour, when complaints about its failure to fulfil a subscription offer it advertised were upheld by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

The complaints stemmed from a subscription offer advertised in the magazine saying that readers could get a year’s subscription at £9.99 and receive a free Estee Lauder nail polish and lipstick worth £22. A footnote stated that the offer was “subject to availability”. The complainants, who subscribed to the magazine, were told that the limit for the gift offer had been reached and that is was therefore no longer available. The complainants challenged the availability of the promotional goods.

The advertisers said that they had estimated the number of new subscriptions, and therefore the number of gifts, on the basis of previous experience, but that the promotion had outperformed the forecast by several times. They produced evidence to support this, but admitted that they had run out of free gifts before the end of the promotional period.

Condé Nast went on to point out the footnote stating the offer’s limited availability and said that their call centre had been informed of the situation and that a message had been posted on the magazine’s website. A replacement gift had been offered to some respondents and dissatisfied customers had been given a full refund.

The ASA noted the advertiser’s arguments but was concerned that they had not been able to supply demand for the free gift and that all respondents had not received a substitute product or cash payment. The advertisers were told to take more care when planning future promotions.

ASA: 020 7580 5555 www.asa.org.uk

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