The BBC has recently started running some seasonal adverts encouraging viewers to buy a DAB digital radio for Christmas, instead of unwanted gifts such as naff perfume or nasty jumpers.

It seems that UK-based “The Perfume Shop” has taken great offence at these humorous ads, to the point that they’re lodging an official complaint to determine whether the BBC’s guidelines have been broken. Oh, and they’ve written to the BBC’s DG, Mark Thompson.

Jeremy Seigal, Managing Director of The Perfume Shop, said, ““The BBC should not be trying to influence what people buy at Christmas solely to promote and protect its own broadcasting future. Their message that aftershave is not a ‘good’ present is wrong. Each Christmas we sell over one million bottles of aftershave but sadly, our advertising budgets will never be able to match the massive impact of the thousands of ‘free’ adverts so far run by the BBC.”

Oh, look, the Fragrance Foundation aren’t happy either.

John Ayres, Chairman of The Fragrance Foundation UK said, “This is irresponsible advertising by the BBC. With all the economic forecasters pointing to a poor Christmas and this holiday season being the most important trading time for retailers and fragrances in particular, the BBC should be promoting their own services rather than attempting to deprive other companies of Christmas sales. If the BBC was a more commercial operation and accepted advertising on its stations, it might be a little more careful whom it chose to offend!”

To all you smelly companies, I say, “Please get a life”.

While I don’t agree with masking truly and grossly offensive content in humour, this is supposed to be a gentle poke at the stereotypical “bad present”, which is now fully ingrained in British folklore.

It’s not the first time the BBC has been criticised for covert advertising, but I think that’s a slightly different issue. Buying a DAB radio will allow people to listen to both BBC and commercial radio stations. Perhaps perfumeries would consider taking out cost-effective advertising on the IBA network?

The BBC encourage people to buy “cheaper” DAB radios. Surely there’s enough room in someone’s budget to give other presents too? If that includes aftershave, socks, and bad jumpers then so be it.

Quite honestly, I think the whole argument is petty, and by making such a fuss you’ve actually discouraged me from buying any of your products.

Take a look in the mirror at your phrase, and make it work for you:

“If the [Perfume Shop] must advertise, then possibly it should stick to promoting its own [products] rather than [sending out] negative messages about [national broadcasters]?””

After all, by sending out this press release and making a fuss, you’re presumably trying to get some free publicity. Yes? Just a shame it makes you look stupid.

I think inKline Global, who make (amongst other things) the PC Booster software for the PC, has been taking “customer support” lessons from the Domain Registry of America.

I was intrigued and perplexed as to why inKline Global were taking out targeted banner advertisements for their PC Booster software, and yet not filtering out Mac users. I’ve seen a number of banners stating that “my Mac has poor performance”, and when I was intrigued enough to click on one, I was offered a PC-only piece of software, even though the sales page on the web site still referred to my Mac!

I emailed them, from interest only, just to see if they were aware that they were wasting money on poorly targeted ads:

Why do you advertise to Mac owners?

Your FAQ says categorically:

“Does PC Booster run on Macintosh?

PC Booster does not run on Macintosh.”

So why do you run loads of stupid banner ads saying “Your Mac may need a tune up”?

It’s wasted advertising and it’s annoying! If you only make PC software, you should abandon contextual advertising to anyone NOT on a PC!

Now I don’t care what this company does with their money - but I enjoy sending pesky letters from time to time, just for the fun of it.

Here’s the response I received this morning, via email, from the lovely Trisha:

Dear Andy,

Currently PC Booster is not compatible with Macintosh. Once we have a compatible Mac- product, we will notify you through our newsletter.

Have a nice day.

Oh I will have a nice day, safe in the knowledge that I haven’t wasted money with a company that doesn’t bother to read their support emails properly. Had she done this, she would have seen me reference the very answer stating that they don’t make the software for Macs!

Oh, and you had better not notify me through your newsletter, as I’ve never signed up for it. I do hope you haven’t subscribed me to it.

Come on, companies, sort it out.

First it was Jazz FM.

Then it was Smooth FM.

Then (I think) it went back to Jazz FM. Though I might be wrong.

Now, it’s Smooth Radio.

The only thing that hasn’t changed is the frequency: 102.2FM.

I presume since they tend to play less jazz now, that “Jazz FM” could’ve been done under the Trade Description Act.

Contextual online advertising has a lot of potential, but looks stupid when very basic errors are made.

Take the following banner ad I found on a site the other day:

It reads: “There is 1 update available for your computer: Your Mac may need a tune up. Click ‘Start’ to recommend improvements”

After clicking the ad, and enduring some tacky progress bar animation that simply puts another barrier between the advertiser and a potential customer, I’m greeted with a screen that again confirms to me that I’m using a Mac with Netscape Navigator version 5. (Well, one out of two’s not bad)

I’m then offered: “Tune Up and Accelerate Your PC Speed in 2 Minutes”

Hang on, I thought you said I had a Mac?

Yes, apparently, PC Booster will give ‘more speed and stability out of your Windows computer’.

Great.

This is targeting gone wrong. If I’ve got a Mac, then I don’t need no stinkin’ PC optimisation software, do I?

C’mon inKline, that’s a real waste of your advertising dollar.