Bridgestone tyres spike Michelin’s advertising claims
By Denna Bowman
Michelin tyres have been asked to “modify or discontinue” advertising claims after rivals Bridgestone challenged their content for the second time in a year.
The National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus did not find fault with the tyres commercials, according to the Tyre Review.
However, it has asked Michelin North America to “modify or discontinue, among other claims, certain advertising claims for the Hydro-Edge tyre,” after a complaint was filed by Bridgestone Americas.
Michelin said it would appeal NAD’s decision to the National Advertising Review Board.
It issued a statement saying: “Michelin looks forward to working with the NAD in the future to continue to ensure consumers are clearly and accurately informed as they make their tyre purchases.”
Following Bridgestone’s complaint, NAD, the advertising industry’s self-regulatory body, said it examined “advertising claims made by Michelin in print, broadcast and internet advertising and in a brochure provided to tyre dealers nationwide.”
The claims at issue included:
• “More miles. More fuel efficiency. More than what you pay for.”
• “33,000 miles longer” tyre life.
• Brakes “14 feet shorter.”
• “#1” in fuel efficiency; “Longer lasting, more fuel efficient.”
• “best-in-its-class” for “safety, durability, fuel efficiency and utility.”
According to NAD, it was “concerned with whether the basis of comparison for the superiority claims found throughout the brochure for various Michelin tyres were clearly limited to the objects of the comparison or were likely to be interpreted more broadly. NAD noted that the brochure featured asterisks and endnotes to point the reader to disclosures.
“However, NAD found that, unless the endnotes were carefully read and understood, a dealer could easily take away inaccurate and unsupported messages. NAD recommended that the disclosures, whether they appear in a brochure or any other format in future advertising, be referenced in a clear and conspicuous manner and appear in immediate proximity to the claims being qualified.”
Bridgestone also challenged Michelin’s advertising last May.
Back then Michelin made a multi-state settlement “regarding alleged misrepresentations Michelin made in its advertising of Michelin fuel efficient tyres.”
The tyre-maker denied any wrongdoing, and agreed to make minor changes in the copy of print advertisements it has run concerning the purported fuel efficiency of its tyres.
Number: Z8037079
Reg: NKF419
