Camera phone advert criticized for exaggerating picture quality

[mar...@myrealbox.com]

Camera phone advert criticized for exaggerating picture quality

Sharp has had a compliant about adverts for its camera phones in the
UK upheld by the Advertising Standards Authority, the self-regulator
for the UK's advertising industry. A complaint was lodged with the ASA
following adverts for Sharp handsets that had exaggerated the picture
quality of the photos taken by the camera phone. The press adverts had
used simulated photos in the advertisement.

Sharp has replied to the compliant, stating that the advertisement
used a simulated picture, which was produced using a photograph of the
woman superimposed onto the picture of the product. They asserted that
that was common practice for advertising image-producing equipment.
The advertisers pointed out that the advertisement stated the
resolution of both the camera and their display screen.

They argued that, because most customers knew that simulated pictures
were widely used, the resolution of the product was stated and,
because customers would see the product before buying it, consumers
were unlikely to be misled. The advertisers stated that the campaign
was finished and that they were willing to state that the picture was
simulated in future advertisements. The advertisers gave the Authority
a product demonstration and showed examples of pictures that could be
taken and transmitted with the phone.

The ASA says that it considered that the advertisers had not
demonstrated that their phone could achieve the picture quality
featured in the advertisement. It welcomed their assurance that they
would state in future advertisements that the picture on the telephone
was simulated.

Doubtless, all other UK adverts for camera phones will be modified in
future, as adverts for 3's video phones are already starting to show
more realistic versions of the quality of video calling that can be
expected on their 3G phones.

http://www.cellular-news.com/story/9318.shtml