Decision reversed: T-Mobile can continue to make this claim in its television ad
Nearly a month ago we told you that the National Advertising Division (NAD) of the BBB National Program recommended that T-Mobile stop running or modify an ad in which it claims that T-Mobile can "save 20% every month vs. the other big guys." The complaint was submitted by Charter Communications, the company that owns Spectrum Mobile. Now most of us would consider Verizon and AT&T to be "the other big guys" as stated by T-Mobile in an advertisement. But Charter said that Spectrum Mobile should be in that conversation when discussing "the other big guys."
The reason this is important is that the NAD discovered that T-Mobile's claim isn't true if you consider Spectrum to be one of the big guys. That's because a Spectrum customer would not achieve the 20% savings claimed by T-Mobile because of a special promotion Spectrum is running that lowers a customer's price during his first year with the company.
But today, a reversal has been announced by the BBB National Programs' National Advertising Review Board (NARB). This is the body that reviews appeals on decisions made by the NAD. The Review Board has concluded that T-Mobile's claim that "Families can save 20% vs. the other big guys" with T-Mobile wireless service is supported by the evidence. This ad has been in heavy rotation and there is no way that you've avoided seeing it unless your television viewing is limited to CSPAN or PBS.
he NARB reverses the NAD and says that T-Mobile can say in an ad that its wireless service saves families 20% vs. the other big guys. | Image credit-T-Mobile
The commercial stars entertainer Snoop Dogg, Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, and influencer Kai Cenat and promotes the iPhone 16 Pro and T-Mobile's "iPhone 16 Pro on us" offer.
In reversing the original decision, the NARB disagreed with the NAD and said that in the mobile phone industry, the big three are Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T based on their market shares. The Review Board panel said that consumers would not call Spectrum Mobile, with its smaller market share, "one of the big guys" in mobile. The NARB also said that T-Mobile's pricing claim is valid noting that a savings calculator on the T-Mobile website allows consumers to calculate their savings themselves.
In a statement following the NARB's reversal of the NAD's decision, T-Mobile said that it "appreciates the panel’s careful consideration of the parties' arguments." The carrier added that it "remains a strong supporter of the self-regulation process."
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Things that are NOT allowed: