Product category:
Materials Handling
News Release from: Kubota (UK)
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 01 July 2008
JCB advertisements breached advertising
code
Complaints brought by Kubota (UK) about two advertisements for mini excavators placed by JCB Sales have been upheld by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
Kubota disputed a headline in one JCB advertisement, published in 2007, which read 'The UK's best selling minis' After assessing all of the available information, including the market research JCB said backed up their claim, the ASA determined that the advertisement breached codes pertaining to substantiation, truthfulness and comparisons
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 7 Jul 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Double success for Kubota 'anti-theft' system
Premier Plant Hire is a huge fan of Kubota's unique key-based 'anti-theft' security system after it helped prevent the theft of two of its mini excavators.
A world leading Kubota Mini for just GBP57/week!
Kubota, the UK, European and world leader in mini excavators, is offering a sizzling summer leasing deal* on its class-leading 1.5 tonne U15-3 zero tail swing model.
In its adjudication, the ASA said that JCB had relied on sales data from 2006.
"Independently verified data for 2007 produced by JCB's preferred market research company closely matched Kubota's data for that year, and both showed Kubota were market leaders in 2007," it declared.
The ASA added that by relying on 2006 data, "JCB had selected elements of the comparison in such a way as to give them an artificial advantage".
A second advertisement, published in 2008, claimed that JCB's 2 tonne 8020 machine was the heaviest mini excavator that could be legally towed with a standard 4 x 4 vehicle.
The ASA agreed with Kubota that it is the heaviest mini produced by JCB which could be legally towed, and that 3.5 tonne gross weight is the legal maximum.
Other manufacturers' machines, such as Kubota's 2.5 tonne U25-3 model, could therefore be legally towed.
Following the adjudications JCB Sales agreed not to publish the first advertisement again and to amend and correct the second advertisement.
Kubota Sales and Marketing Manager, Richard Harrison, said: "We are obviously pleased that the Advertising Standards Authority has ruled in our favour on both complaints, and that JCB has agreed not to repeat the two misleading advertisements in future".
Kubota is the UK, European and world leader in mini excavators and provides the widest range of minis available from a single manufacturer.
Customers can select from 19 base models, spanning the weight range from 850kg to 8 tonnes, and including the largest selection of increasingly popular zero tail swing machines.
With a legendary reputation for quality, performance, reliability and excellent resale values, their productivity and versatility make them the ideal tool for many different applications and end-users, from civil engineering to landscaping and plant hire companies to owner operators.
• Kubota (UK): contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Buildingtalk email newsletter
• Buildingtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
