MultiChoice's DStv is available "everywhere" ... just not in Italy - and that is just not right according to a consumer who complained to the Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa (Asasa).
A consumer Manlio Molino lodged a complaint with Advertising Standards Authority because MultiChoice advertised that on DStv you can "enjoy your favourite TV programs anytime, anywhere, stream live TV, and stay up to date with the biggest shows on Catch Up".
Molino was upset and lodged a complaint with Asasa over MultiChoice's "Enjoy your favourite TV programs anytime, anywhere" claim and said the advertising is misleading as he could not access the service whilst in Italy.
He wanted to stream and watch soccer while in Italy and was told that the service is not available.
MultiChoice told the Advertising Standards Authority that the "anywhere" claim in regards to its "DStv Now" product is actually meant in relation to DStv subscribers who are interested in receiving DStv services in different devices other than decoder and a television.
MultiChoice said that the phrase "Anytime, Anywhere” refers to convenience rather than geographic location. In other words, subscribers who have access to "DStv Now" may access DStv anywhere outside their homes.
The Asasa directorate was divided on the matter. The minority of the directorate thought that in this day and age, with the internet and live streaming, it is not unreasonable to expect to be able to live stream or access a service globally, and that the DStv commercial should have been more clear on this issue.
The majority of the directorate however didn't consider the matter misleading. The majority felt that the hypothetical reasonable consumer would understand that licencing laws would limit international dissemination of content.
Therefore Asasa found that the commercial contains no content that suggests that the word "anywhere" applies to the whole world and the complaint was dismissed.
