The ASA has recently adjudicated against non-broadcast advertisements for mobile phone redemption offers. It has become prevalent in the mobile industry to offer ‘cashback’, gifts or ‘free’/reduced line rental charges based on redemption offers, subject to the consumer providing evidence of their phone bill on given months during the rental period. The ASA considers some advertisements are misleading because they do not state clearly and prominently enough the conditions of the advertised offers.

 The Compliance team has written to mobile phone marketers asking them to state clearly and prominently in future advertisements the nature of redemption offers, not to describe offers as ‘cashback’ unless the redemption is a cash redemption to a consumer’s bank account or by cheque. The qualification of the redemption offer should be in the body copy, not in the smallprint.

In addition, describing credit to a network account as "cashback" is not acceptable and advertisements should state if a redemption mechanism is airtime credit and has to be used within a specified time.

 We would be grateful to receive CAP members’ cooperation in ensuring marketers’ compliance with the above requirements. Please consult the CAP Copy Advice team if you are unsure of the Code’s requirements.