Kyocera achieves victory over ASA HP complaint - (Update)

HP responds to news that Kyocera succeeded in its reporting of HP to the ASA

Following the news yesterday that Kyocera had succeeded in its reporting of HP to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), HP has sent CRN the following statement.

"HP can confirm that it was contacted by the UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) regarding a print advertisement for HP CP3505 series colour laserjet printers. The advertisement ran in a small number of UK trade publications from 4 June to 4 July 2007.

"Following this contact, HP and the ASA have agreed to an informal resolution to the issues that were raised. This will mean that HP will amend its UK print advertising copy relating to HP CP3505 series colour laserjet printers.

"HP takes compliance issues very seriously and we are happy to work with the ASA. We ensure that our advertising is inline with The British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing," added the vendor.

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18 September 2007

Kyocera has triumphed with regard to its reporting of HP to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for making misleading claims about one of it printers in an advertisement.

In July, Kyocera lodged an official complaint with the ASA following the publishing of an advertisement in CRN, and other trade publications, which claimed that customers buying the HP Colour LaserJet CP3505 printer would only have to replace toner throughout the printer’s life “and nothing else".

The advert went on to state that “No drum, maintenance, fuser, cleaning or transfer kits” were required.

Kyocera challenged these claims on the basis that HP toner cartridges, which must be replaced each time the toner runs out, contain drums which are therefore also replaced regularly.

The ASA said in a statement: “Since our last letter, we have received a response from HP. They have given us their assurance that they will remove the references to “replacement toner” and “no drum” from the ad and will not make similar claims about individual elements of the print cartridges in future ads; they will also make clear that it is the print cartridges that will need replacing.”

"Because we understand the marketing will now be amended in line with The British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing, we intend to close the case informally," said the ASA.

Kyocera’s general manager, Ian Joslin, said: “We’re delighted that HP has acknowledged that its ads were misleading and volunteered to amend them. People tend to believe the claims of blue-chip brands without question and there’s already enough uncertainty around the ongoing costs of running laser printers so it’s not helpful for HP to add to it by making claims which cannot be substantiated. We’re firmly committed to making it easier for printer users to compare the relative costs of using different printers so we felt compelled to challenge the validity of HP’s claims."

"To claim on the one hand that users need not replace multiple parts during the life of the printer, and then to state on its cartridge packaging that 70% of the print engine is contained within the cartridges just doesn’t add up. Customers in any doubt as to the number of parts replaced each time an ink cartridge runs out should take a look at the number of individual parts a cartridge contains – around 60. Compare this to the five components in a Kyocera toner cassette and it’s easy to see which company really offers “toner-only” technology," he added.

Confirmation of the resolution of this complaint is due to appear on the ASA's web site tomorrow.