Ad Alert

Dyson DC59 Vacuum

It sure sucks to get called out on unsubstantiated superiority claims.

Even vacuum companies can get swept up in controversy from time to time.

Britain’s ad watchdog has banned Dyson from running two ads that it said sucked consumers in with unsubstantiated superiority claims.

In short, the The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is a self-regulatory body that monitors advertising in the United Kingdom. said Dyson lacked the head-to-head lab tests necessary to assert that its DC59 model is a better picker upper than Gtech’s AirRam, which filed a complaint. An online ad (ad one) carried the text “Dyson has over 10x the suction of Gtech,” and linked to a YouTube video (ad two) that sought to demonstrate the DC59’s domestic dominance.

“There’s clearly a marked difference between the pick-up performances of both machines,” said the speaker in the video, who was identified as Alex Knox from the Department of Engineering, after the AirRam appeared to leave more baking powder behind than the DC59.

Interested parties can watch the full YouTube video on the Daily Mirror’s website. Uninterested parties can pick up a broom.

Find more of our coverage on vacuums here.


Our Ad Alerts are not just about false and deceptive marketing issues, but may also be about ads that, although not necessarily deceptive, should be viewed with caution. Ad Alerts can also be about single issues and may not include a comprehensive list of all marketing issues relating to the brand discussed.


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